Cotswolds social housing plans will be carbon zero, council says

Plans are under way to demolish 24 homes dating back to the 1950s to make way for eco-friendly social housing.

Cotswold District Council is working with Bromford Housing Association to build 28 homes in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire.

The council will also fund eco-features such as air source heat pumps instead of gas boilers to cut carbon emissions.

Cabinet member Lisa Spivey said it hoped the project would become a "case study" for developers in the future.

The application for Stockwells cul-de-sac will be submitted this month, with building work planned to start in autumn, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

It will be the first modular build of its kind anywhere in the Cotswolds according to the council. 

"This is the standard we expect of affordable housing here in the Cotswolds.

"Not only do we want housing to be zero carbon, we want housing to be genuinely affordable," added Ms Spivey.

Opposition Conservative leader Richard Morgan said: "There are currently 24 socially rented homes on this site which are a legacy from the previous Conservative administration's efforts to offer truly affordable housing in the Cotswolds.

"We are delighted that these houses will remain as socially rented homes for local people, and that they are being upgraded to the latest environmental standards."

Bromford Housing Association has conducted a consultation with the residents affected by the proposals and is helping them to move into alternative accommodation to enable the redevelopment of the site.

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