We have been working on this project for 5 years, since we first had the vision for a new way of doing housing in 2017. In that time a lot has changed: electric cars are more common, planning conditions have changed, the Covid pandemic has changed the way we all live, Brexit has increased construction prices, and despite hundreds of homes being built in Ivybridge we still have a housing crisis in the South Hams. 

We are still proposing an innovative affordable housing development on the outskirts of Ivybridge that embeds renewable energy, energy efficiency, healthy living and green transport in the design of the project. 
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For those with low or modest incomes, housing, energy and mobility represent a considerable proportion of their total expenditure and frequently one or more of these elements will prove unaffordable, forcing them to make compromises or to do without. 

The principal objective is to deliver 30 residential dwellings, all for social rent. To achieve this we plan to demonstrate exemplar energy performance through the delivery of ultra-high performance building fabric and efficiency measures, the provision of a significant volume of onsite generated renewable energy, and to maximise its on-site usage through shared electric vehicles (EVs) and if possible a smart controlled microgrid.

The scheme will be in keeping with the council’s strategy for sustainability in the built environment and is a blue print for the type of housing we should be building in a Climate Emergency. Given the rural character of the site, the scheme will be ecologically sensitive in design, and result in enhanced bio-diversity.

The key elements of such a project would be:
  • Dwellings built to passivhaus standard
  • High quality build to minimise long term repair and renewal costs
  • Healthy houses, free of toxic and allergenic materials, volatile solvents etc.
  • Renewable energy generation and storage onsite, import of electricity will be minimised
  • Pool of shared EVs along with e-bikes to provide a range of mobility options
  • Sustainable drainage strategy and minimal rainwater runoff from site - We have carried out months of detailed analysis, we've designed and redesigned the drainage, sadly it is not possible to use the most sustainable drainage here because the groundwater levels are too high.
  • Social rent in perpetuity
 
The principal benefits of this development would be:
  • Long term availability of high quality, healthy accommodation at an affordable price
  • Cost of energy will be minimised by roof top solar PV for householders
  • Use of on-site EV (electric vehicles) car club and e-bikes will be charged on a per hour basis, depending on the vehicle used​.
Why
The concept
The need
​Project timeline
Current site
Surveys
Access and parking
Proposed site layout
What will they look like?
Passivhaus
Microgrid
Solar PV
Renewable heating
Electric vehicles (EVs)
Nature
Communal areas
Who can live here
What has changed in our planning re-submission?

Here are the key changes in the 2022 plans compared to the 2020 plans:
  1. Community Hub has been omitted
  2. Flats have been reduced to two storeys, instead of three
  3. Three additional homes are available
  4. No ponds
  5. Allotments have been combined, rather than distributed through the site
  6. Some properties are now east-west facing
  7. Dedicated nature space has been created at the north of the site
  8. We have partnered with Teign Housing to develop the homes

More information about the rationale for these changes and the benefits can be found on the relevant pages.
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