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Ecos Homes, the company behind the development, aims to make sustainable communities the norm by 2012, and is using the project to illustrate to planners, builders and developers the use of energy efficient design and sustainable technologies. The homes will meet the Code for Sustainable Homes' level five, and will be built so that no net carbon is emitted from heating, lighting and hot water systems.

Charles Couzens, Executive Director of the Ecos Trust, comments:

?We have been in the planning stages of this project for six months, and to be starting work is great. The level of sustainability we aim to achieve at Stawell is not common practice in the building industry and whilst it is very important that we draw on our experience from Great Bow Yard we also have a lot of new ground to cover.

?I am confident that with our newly appointed contractors, Gillam & Chivers, a local construction Company that worked on our first, award-winning development, Great Bow Yard, we will achieve what we set out to do ? demonstrate carbon neutral living in a small community setting.?

The development, called the Old Apple Store because of the site's original use, will have three terraced houses with three bedrooms and two detached houses with four bedrooms. The new homes will blend both traditional and contemporary design to offer homes that utilise sustainable technologies such as solar panels and wood pellet stoves.

The land was owned by local couple, Charles and Rowen Graham, who have formed a joint venture Company, Pippin Properties, with Ecos Homes. As concerned environmentalists, the Grahams wanted to ensure the homes were built to the highest sustainable standards. So they chose Ecos Homes to manage and build the project.

Pippin Properties will have ownership of the land at Stawell during the construction of the five homes.

Eco-features in the homes include, timber frames, sedum roofing, exceptionally high levels of insulation, natural paints and plasters to give a healthy internal environment and the use of solar and biomass energy sources. Some designs also incorporate internal sunspaces to make maximum use of the sun's energy, and natural light has been an important feature in the architectural concept. Space to work at home has also been a consideration when designing each property.