Friday 6 November 2020

‘Better than carbon-neutral’ housing scheme secures £25k funding

A scheme to develop ‘better than carbon-neutral’ housing in Somerset has secured £25,000 grant funding to move plans forward.

The Wiveliscombe Community Energy scheme aims to deliver heat and electricity for 20 affordable homes for local people in housing need and two community and social enterprise buildings.

Somerset Cooperative Community Land Trust (SCCLT) plans to buy a disused former brewery and convert it into a development of homes and a hub for social and community enterprise.

The funding awarded will support SCCLT to explore opportunities for a community energy scheme, using solar photovoltaics and a heat network to make the development 'better than carbon-neutral' and provide income from selling energy to fund local projects.

Alan Debenham, Chair of SCCLT, said: “This grant will give a real boost to creating more affordable homes for people in housing need. These will not only save carbon emissions but do more for combatting climate change by generating green energy as well as selling surplus power to provide an income for local green projects."