News release

Expressions of interest invited to build 150 homes in Bristol.

Housebuilders were invited to submit expressions of interest to build England’s first large scale development of zero carbon homes today, as national regeneration agency English Partnerships published its pre-qualifying questionnaire (PQQ) for a 150 home site in Bristol.

Hanham Hall – a 6.1 ha former hospital site in Bristol, owned by English Partnerships – has been identified as the first site in the country to be suitable for development under the agency’s Carbon Challenge. 

The Carbon Challenge calls on developers to achieve the highest level (Level 6) of the Government’s new Code for Sustainable Homes to demonstrate that zero carbon homes, combined with cutting edge building design, are economically viable on a commercial scale.   The PQQ is the first step in a process which will end in the summer with the appointment of a preferred developer for the site.

Jayne Lomas, the Project Manager at English Partnerships responsible for the Carbon Challenge said, “This effectively brings the zero carbon homes of the future a significant step closer to reality – a hugely important development in the fight against climate change.

“The Government has made it clear that all new homes will need to be zero carbon from 2016 and the Carbon Challenge will help demonstrate to the construction industry how this can be achieved.  And we need to start now – 2016 is less than a decade away – and nobody should underestimate the challenge of achieving zero carbon.”

Philip Wolfe, Chief Executive of the Renewable Energy Association said, “We expect a substantial contribution for our 20% renewables target for 2020 to come from energy in buildings and we welcome the Carbon Challenge as an important driver for sustainability.

“English Partnerships are showing real leadership in aiming straight for Level six of the new Code for Sustainable Homes.”

The Hanham Hall PQQ, published alongside a Memorandum of Information giving site specific details, is designed to establish organisational capacity to meet the requirements of the Carbon Challenge – including Level 6 of the new Code for Sustainable Homes – by reducing carbon emissions and incorporating features to reduce water usage and energy consumption, as well as minimise waste.  Increasing biodiversity and including greenery, which is known to significantly reduce overheating and improve air quality, will also be a key requirement.

Developers completing the PQQ will be shortlisted to around 6 organisations that will be invited to submit a more substantive submission in response to a detailed design brief for the site.

1. A copy of the Hanham Hall Pre-Qualifying Questionnaire is available from the Current Procurement and Disposal Opportunities page.

2. Completed housing accounts for around 30 per cent of the UK’s total energy use and 27 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions.  The Carbon Challenge was announced by Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly in February 2007, to help reduce these figures and to contribute to the UK’s targets in the battle against climate change.

3. Zero carbon means no net carbon emissions from all energy uses in the home, so the amount of energy taken from the national grid is less than or equal to the amount put back through renewable technologies.

4. Hanham Hall is one of two English Partnerships owned sites identified as being suitable for zero carbon development. Hanham Hall is a 6.1 hectare former hospital site near Bristol, including a Grade II listed building.  It is anticipated that the developable area of the site will support 150 homes, one third of which will be affordable, as well as 400 sqm of retail floorspace and nearly 2000 sqm of employment space.  The second site, Glebe Road, near Peterborough is more than 10 ha in total.  English Partnerships owns 1.7 ha and Peterborough City Council and the East of England Development Agency own two adjacent sites.

5. English Partnerships is the government’s national regeneration agency delivering high quality, sustainable growth in England. We do this by developing our portfolio of strategic projects and acting as the government’s advisor on brownfield land. We also ensure that surplus public sector assets are used to support wider government objectives, especially those contained in the Sustainable Communities Plan. English Partnerships helps create communities where people can afford to live and want to live. Information on projects and programmes can be found at www.englishpartnerships.co.uk

English Partnerships and the Housing Corporation are working with the
Department for Communities and Local Government to establish the proposed new national housing and regeneration agency, Communities England.

6. The Renewable Energy Association is the UK’s largest renewables industry association with 500 members, including all the major UK energy companies and many independent renewables producers. The Association is active across the full range of renewable energy technologies and applications. www.r-e-a.net http://www.r-e-a.net