Green homes for 2012 sailing site

A low carbon community is set to be created in Dorset - with residents given the chance to use a communal electric car.

About 77 new homes will be developed at the former Royal Navy Air Station's Osprey Quay, on Portland.

Proposals were given the go-ahead which are part of a £40m regeneration aiming to create about 1,400 jobs by 2016.

Portland will jointly host some of the sailing events for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games with Weymouth.

The new homes will reduce carbon emissions by more than half compared with conventional properties, planners say.

Features will include wood pellet boilers, rainwater harvesting systems, solar water heating and solar panels to generate electricity.

Developers said that residents can also pay to to sign up to access an electric Smart car which will be kept on site.

The planning approval from Weymouth & Portland Borough Council will also trigger an investment of up to £500,000 in local community facilities from the sale of the site to Dorchester-based developer ZeroC.

Work is due to begin in September and the scheme is expected to take two years to complete.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version