pPod chosen for English Partnership's Peterborough project

Morris Homes, Gentoo Homes and Browne Smith Baker architects have been chosen to develop English Partnership’s (EP) second zero carbon project.

Their pPod consortium has been announced as preferred developer to build 344 new homes at Peterborough’s South Bank.

The group was up against Gladedale Group and a consortium of Gleeson Homes and Stewart Milne Group to win the Carbon Challenge contract.

Three other bidders pulled out of the process earlier this year, before EP admitted it doubted the project would proceed at all because of the credit crunch.

A preferred developer was due to be announced some weeks ago but investigations into each bidder’s finances postponed the decision.

pPod is expected to submit a planning application for the new zero carbon neighbourhood in early 2009, with work to begin later that year.

EP policy director Steve Carr said: “In the current economic downturn people are asking harder questions about the quality and value of new homes.

“The Peterborough pPod homes not only respond to climate change, they will also be more spacious and have lower energy bills.

“This isn’t just about eco-living – it is about making new housing schemes a much better deal for owners and tenants by creating comfortable and cost-efficient homes for a range of incomes.”

The development proposal includes swathes of wetlands, formal water courses and a 'green spine' with orchards and canopy walkways.

It will also include retail and community space and encourage local food production.

Energy will be provided by a biomass combined heat and power plant.

Gentoo Homes operations director Allan Thompson said: “With this development we have the opportunity to re-imagine the future, using the lessons learnt from the delivery of zero carbon homes to inform and drive our own forward development programme – thus taking this exciting initiative beyond Peterborough and other Carbon Challenge sites.”