Low Carbon Homes Come to Alway

Thirty-nine low-carbon affordable homes are set to be built in Alway, Newport, thanks to Castleoak and Pobl partnering on a project at the former site of the Ladyhill Day Centre and Seven Stiles pub.

Castleoak, a Welsh-based developer, has partnered with Pobl, a not-for-profit housing association, to bring 20 two-bed and 19 three-bed homes to the one-hectare site. This project is partly funded by the Welsh Government’s £155 million Innovative Housing Programme, which seeks to use modern methods of construction (MMC) to bring low-carbon affordable housing to Wales.

The house frames will be pre-fabricated at Castleoak’s offsite manufacturing facility in Ebbw Vale, including pre-fitted windows and insulation and adapted to use specialist mechanical and electrical solutions and smart water cyclinders, aiming to maximise energy efficiency.

The homes will also have roof solar panels and storage batteries, further minimising the homes’ lifetime carbon footprint and energy costs. Once created, they will be assembled at the site by Castleoak’s construction team.

More than 70% of the world’s population live in timber frame homes. Timber frame homes are growing in popularity in the UK owing to the environmental benefits of the material and speed of build, and the ability to optimise the homes for heat retention so they minimise energy consumption and keep costs low for residents.

Andrew Duggan, Managing Director of Offsite Manufacturing at Castleoak, said: “Our homes can help us live happier and more fulfilling lives. Increasingly that means buildings which can give us good conscience and reduce the pull on our purse-strings through lower energy costs. That’s what we’re going to bring to Alway.

“It’s fantastic to be working with Pobl to bring truly low-carbon, affordable homes to people in Newport, not just through the fabric of the buildings, but also through innovative energy solutions which will help to keep costs low for future residents.”

Gavin Howells, Senior Project Manager at Pobl Group, commented: “Pobl has a growing reputation for delivering forward-thinking housing solutions, and we are excited to be working with Castleoak on this project that will deliver much needed affordable and truly sustainable homes for Newport. We’re grateful for the support of the Welsh Government and Newport City Council on this project and we share their ambitions to create high-quality places to live – and we look forward to working with the Alway community on this new venture.”

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