Families benefit from first council zero carbon housing scheme

Eight Haringey families are set to benefit from the first zero carbon council homes built in the borough.

On a mission to decarbonise Haringey by 2041, the Cabinet gave the green light for the eco-friendly development last night (15 June).

The scheme in Park Road, Bounds Green will use super-efficient thermal insulation, solar panels to generate electricity and air source heat pumps as part of the design.

As well as dramatically reducing each households’ carbon footprint, the high-quality homes will be cheaper to run – tackling ever increasing energy costs and offering tenants more financial freedom.

The roof will be lined with wildflower plants and the building surrounded by lots of outside space, increasing the area’s biodiversity.

Transforming a brownfield site occupied by dilapidated garages, the new development will be made up of two three-bedroom houses, five two-bedroom flats and one four-bedroom duplex apartment, all let at council rents.

One of the two-bedroom flats will be fully accessible for wheelchair users and another adaptable to meet residents’ changing needs.

The brand new zero carbon homes will contribute to the borough’s first major council building programme in a generation and responds directly to the climate emergency declared by the council in 2019.

Cllr Ruth Gordon, Cabinet Member for House Building, Placemaking and Development, said:  

“This council housing development in Bounds Green is exactly the sort of ambitious scheme we need in Haringey. Not only are we building council homes that local families desperately need but these energy efficient homes, built on a brownfield site, will make up the council’s first zero-carbon scheme.

"I’m proud that eight families will benefit from a new start and the opportunity for a secure future in warm, safe, high-quality council homes built to the very best green standards.”

Cllr Mike Hakata, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and the Climate Emergency and Deputy Leader of the Council, said:

“I'm of the firm belief that everything we do as a council should be under the umbrella of the climate and environmental emergencies.  

"Our essential house-building programme will play a critical role in achieving our pledge to become a zero-carbon council by 2027 and borough by 2041. These new homes will provide the council with a blueprint for future sustainable council housing projects. This exciting project will use the very latest technology and construction methods to deliver an exemplary scheme, which will both cut greenhouse gas emissions and enable families to dramatically lower their energy bills.”

Planning permission for the scheme was granted in July 2020.