Footprint

Housing Minister Grant Shapps’ first outing in his new role was to join Kevin McCloud for the groundbreaking of The Triangle, Glenn Howell’s 42-unit development in Swindon. Shapps used the occasion to reiterate the Government’s continuing commitment to zero carbon housing by 2016, promising to agree the definition of zero carbon ‘by summer.’  Unless that is forthcoming soon, it is likely to drag beyond the commitment he gave as Shadow Minister at the UK-GBC conference last autumn - to resolve the issue within 50 days of taking office.

The site is located off Swindon’s Northern Road surrounded by the modest terraces which once housed the workers who built the Great Western Railway.

The site entrance was decked out for the occasion.

McCloud said this development was about ‘real housing in a real context,’ and that it addresses issues of sustainability which ‘go way beyond carbon.’ In a joint venture between McCloud and housing group GreenSquare, most units will be CSH Level 4, and some CSH 5. The project is being developed according to One Planet Living principles and proposals include edible hedgerows, local food networks and a car club. The UK-GBC’s Paul King and Jonathon Porritt of Forum for the Future were also on the podium. Porritt called the project ‘hugely important,’ and acknowledged ‘the marshaling of passion, commitment and expertise’ which has gotten the project to this point.

Wall construction will be timber studs with 300mm Tradical Hemcrete funded through DECC’s Low Carbon Investment Fund which supports the use of building materials from renewable resources. (McCloud commented that DECC had been unable to give away all the money available through this programme). The exteriors will be finished with lime render in four different colours.

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The speeches were followed by a careful orchestration of Shapps demonstrating the ease of the Hemcrete system under Kevin’s direction.

When the shuttering was removed,

the wall stood firm…

Footings are currently going in and the project is to complete in May 2011. (Recent housing beyond).

The day concluded with tea and scones,

charmingly poured from china teapots.

The most heartening comment of the day was when Glenn Howells told me that housing should be ‘background’ architecture. The CGIs look good, and I look forward to seeing the houses coming out of the ground. And the most surprising news is that Swindon, which is blessed with one of the more tortuous centre city one way systems I know and a magic (five-in-one) roundabout, has committed to One Planet Living. The Designs are indeed Grand.

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