Eco-homes win award (From This is Hampshire)

Eco-homes win award

12:00am Wednesday 24th October 2012 in Andover

A SMALL housing development in Andover has won Development of the Year (small scheme) at the Affordable Home Ownership Awards.

This timber-clad, modern scheme, named Sunfield Close by a local schoolboy in a competition, is also saving residents money.

The 17 eco-homes were built on former allotment land.

Councillor Sandra Hawke, portfolio holder with Test Valley Borough Council, said: “The design is a brave one but you can’t always just build the same houses, even if it is the easier option.”

However, these houses are not just about aesthetics, they are also functional family homes and are popular with residents.

Karen Bestford and sons Aden and Connor were nominated for a three-bedroom home in this development after Connor suffered two strokes in June 2010 and needed a house with a downstairs bedroom and bathroom.

Enabled to live an independent life in his “bungalow downstairs”, as he refers to it, Connor has flourished and has been inspired to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a chef, winning a place at Foxes Catering Academy in Minehead, Somerset.

Karen’s health has also improved since moving into the new home and she is now less reliant on antihistamines, which she used to have to take to battle allergies.

So far this year, they have only ever needed their heating on for “a couple of hours” and their heating bills reflect this, resulting in far cheaper fuel bills than ever before, despite recent price rises.

Karen said: “It’s like a house you see on Grand Designs, really light and airy, which makes it seem even more spacious.

“Everyone loves it; even my mum and dad want to move in downstairs.

“The only up side, if you could call it that, about what has happened to Connor is that we now get to call this house our home.”