An eco-housing development in Lincolnshire is being hailed as a best practice example of building new super-efficient homes in a rural location.

The futuristic homes at The Edge, one of the UK’s most ambitious house building projects, cost (on average) just £1 per day to run and are being built by eco-homes specialist Gusto Homes on part of the Lincolnshire Showground near the historic city of Lincoln.

On Wednesday 19th August, councillors and officers from West Lindsey District Council visited The Edge, where Trevor Durant, Senior Building Control Surveyor at the council and Steff Wright of Gusto Group presented technical details about the scheme to the delegates, a day before Chancellor George Osborne announced plans to reform planning laws to make it easier for villages to build new homes to boost the rural economy. Writing in the national press, he said the lack of rural homes was a scandal.

The Edge features 18 three and four-bed homes, all looking out onto a private lake, with planning permission being sought for more. Buyers of the homes will become part of a sustainable community with joint ownership of a mature five-acre wood, two ponds and recreation land including a tennis court. Hodgson Elkington, a local firm of chartered surveyors who are marketing the properties, will also be looking after The Edge through the Management Company.

The homes have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of ‘A’ thanks to innovative energy-saving features such as integrated solar photovoltaic (PV) tiles, triple glazing and infra-red heating panels which eliminate the need for a central heating system.

Deputy Chair of West Lindsey District Council, Councillor Roger Patterson, said: “We’re very impressed with the development as a council and it’s amazingly affordable considering the market prices in the area. I’d love to see this as the new green standard in West Lindsey – the more we build here, the more affordable it becomes for families in the district.

“The council should be proud of all the staff and members that have worked on the project from the very start and I congratulate Gusto on their achievement.

“At the planning stages, this was a very easy development to agree and the fact that this is in West Lindsey is something to be excited about. It’s a great example of teamwork and the developers have been very welcoming.”

Steff Wright, CEO of Gusto Group, said: “As part of the planning application process, Gusto Homes, which was recommended as the preferred developer by the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society and Hodgson Elkington to build the properties, agreed with West Lindsey District Council to openly share information about the homes’ performance and how The Edge community develops.”

Geoff and Carole Broster were the first buyers at The Edge and have been living there for the past couple of months. They moved from Reepham near Lincoln after ten years in an environmentally sustainable Gusto Homes property. Carole is a retired marketing consultant and Geoff is a retired potato merchant.

Carole said: “We wanted to downsize our home yet maintain the energy efficiency that Gusto Homes’ properties are renowned for. The woodland environment of The Edge is a real bonus and Geoff and I are interested in how the site will evolve as a sustainable community.”

Ends

Notes to editors

The Edge Lincoln:

• The Edge is located at Woodland’s Edge, North Carlton, Lincoln and has easy access to the uphill Cathedral Quarter of Lincoln plus the A46, A15 and M180 roads.
• A promotional video of The Edge is available at http://vimeo.com/131530938 and a brochure at www.gustohomes.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Edge-Brochure.pdf
• The Edge Lincoln is being marketed by chartered surveyors Hodgson Elkington (www.hodelk.com/residential-sales/index.asp) and Rightmove (www.rightmove.co.uk/developer/branch/Gusto-Homes/The-Edge-119947.html#pld=47096494).
• The civic visit to The Edge on Wednesday 19th August was the third such visit that West Lindsey District Council and Gusto Group have organised, as previous visits were over-subscribed. Guests in attendance included Councillor Roger Patterson, Deputy Chairman of West Lindsey District Council, councillors from West Lindsey District Council and figures from across the construction, building control and conservation sectors.

Gusto Homes:

• Gusto Homes has a proven track record, spanning 18 years, of building eco-homes that are extremely cost-effective to run.
• For more information about Gusto Group, please visit www.gustogroup.co.uk

For media information please contact:
Jonny Hall
Shooting Star
01522 528540
jonny@weareshootingstar.co.uk
[GustoGroup01TheEdge]