Terraced House, Main House, 1 La Porte, St Saviour

La Porte is a Grade 3 farm complex of historical interest with one of the buildings dating back to the 15th century.  It had been owned by the same family for around 700 years, passed down from generation to generation.

This most recent chapter of the sites long history sees it converted into nine characterful family homes of 2 to 4 bedrooms.  All nine houses have been insulated to a very high level with new roofs and new heritage hardwood double glazed doors and windows throughout.  Each house has at least two parking spaces, one of which comes with electric car charging facilities and most of them have at least one garage space with a storage loft above.  All nine houses have well above average sized private gardens and large community amenity spaces have also been provided at both ends of the site in the form of a picnic/play area to the east and a rewilded nature area with paths for walking to the west.

The real USP of this eco-community is that all nine houses are connected to a district heating system which runs off 100% on-site generated renewable energy.

The site generates 50kW of renewable solar and wind energy which is used to run twin industrial air source heat pumps that are then connected to a 1200l buffer tank all sited within the eco-hub building at the far west end of the site.

This set-up generates free hot water which is circulated around the site via a network of heavily insulated underground pipes connected to each house.  All the houses have been fitted with wet underfloor heating in every room which draws on this circulated hot water to provide 100% free heating for every room in every house.

The renewables generate more electricity than the heat pumps require so that surplus electricity will be sold back to the grid to provide a sinking fund which will cover the annual maintenance of the district heating system.

Therefore, the new owners of the nine houses will have free heating for life saving themselves at least £2000 per year, based on a similar sized house.

Further eco measures include new fully fitted kitchens with low energy appliances, low energy lighting in the houses and free communal area lighting which also runs off the on-site renewable energy production.  On site secure cycle storage rooms (independent of the garages) and bin sheds have also been provided at both ends of the development.