New homes on a development in the Harborough district will not get mains gas to help the environment

A new housing development close to Market Harborough is amongst a wave of new developments that will not have a gas supply to try and improve their energy efficiency.
The masterplan for The Hardwicks near ShangtonThe masterplan for The Hardwicks near Shangton
The masterplan for The Hardwicks near Shangton

The Hardwicks development of 27 homes in Shangton will be installed with heat pumps which draw warmth from the air or ground and will be insulated to the highest standard meaning that the houses will need little heating.

The switch to low-carbon energy will see a move away from gas hobs and traditional boilers.

In February, government advisers proposed that by 2025 no new homes should be connected to the gas grid following a report by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) that found efforts to cut greenhouse gases are stalling and current measures aren’t fit for the future.

William Naylors, managing director of Naylors Estate Agents said: “What we’ve seen over the past couple of years is a plateau in the energy efficiency of homes.

“It’s important to build on the improvements made over the past 20 years by ensuring new houses are built to the highest standard with the environment in mind.

“Doing so means that the homes don’t have to be upgraded further along the line because they were sub-standardly built.”

The UK’s average energy efficiency rating reached a high of 62 points in 2015 but in the following two years has seen no improvement.

William believes the recent CCC report could dictate a change in how new homes are designed and built.

He said: “The cost of installing low-carbon heating in a new home is around one-fifth cheaper than in an existing property, so it makes economic sense to do it this way around.

“The period homes that Market Harborough is blessed with aren’t likely to add to the area’s energy efficiency so it’s important for new houses to be as efficient as possible.

“Here’s hoping Harborough can become a champion for environmentally-friendly new homes.”

The Hardwicks is a residential development opportunity for up to 27 self-build units on a former care village site in the village of Shangton. Naylors Estate Agents have brought the plots on the development to market.

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