New development in Swanley goes green with help from Bellway

Pioneering energy-efficiency measures are to be installed at a new housing development in Kent as part of a pilot scheme by Bellway to move towards more sustainable heating systems.

Bellway is building 60 homes at Highlands Grange in Swanley, on the former Harrington’s plant nursery site off Highlands Hill.

Bellway is installing energy-efficient air source heat pumps (ASHPs) at 10 of the properties at the development as part of its Better with Bellway sustainability strategy, which has carbon reduction as a key priority.

New rules coming into force from 2025 mean that gas boilers will no longer be allowed to be installed in newly built homes, and alternatives such as ASHPs will be required instead but Bellway is pushing forward with introducing these low-carbon heating systems at selected developments well in advance of this deadline.

Emma Hamlett, sales director for Bellway Thames Gateway, said: “Air source heat pumps are more energy efficient and will replace gas boilers in new homes in the coming years. The purchasers of these homes will generate lower carbon emissions due to the low-carbon nature of this heating technology.

“Although the rules over the installation of gas boilers don’t change until 2025, at Bellway we are proactive and keen to get ahead of the curve on this by starting to move towards more sustainable heating systems now. It is part of our corporate commitment to sustainability and building greener homes.”

The properties that will have the ASHPs installed at Highlands Grange will be a range of 10 four-bedroom properties. They will also have under-floor heating on the ground floor.

All the homes at the development will have electric vehicle charging points to encourage more sustainable travel.

There will be a range of sustainability measures to protect wildlife at the development including bat and bird boxes, insect hotels, habitat piles and hedgehog highways. There are also plans for a community orchard and wildflower meadow to support and increase biodiversity on the site.

Bellway is building 60 properties on the five-acre site including 36 two, three and four-bedroom houses for private sale and 24 affordable homes for low-cost rent or shared ownership. The first homes are due to be released for sale in January 2024.

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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