Green dream in Delph

VISION for the future . . . how the house (at the centre of the picture) will look in the Delph hillside

1 More Image(s) In Gallery

AMBITIOUS plans for an “invisible home” in Delph could be among the first in the country to benefit from new greenbelt legislation.

Landowner Gavin Mather of Delph and architect Deramore Hutchcroft have created an ambitious design for an “green” family home in Dark Lane, close to Carrcote housing estate and Friars Lodge.

The 2,800 sq ft house will be cut into the hillside using sustainable construction techniques. Construction will be from recycled and local materials such as tyres and straw bales, with a stone facade.

The site itself will provide most of the materials, with the walls makde from clay and lime plaster.

An application submitted to Oldham Council last year was withdrawn after Saddleworth Parish Council recommended refusal.

The Government’s forthcoming legislation to streamline planning rules could now see the scheme go ahead. The new laws will restrict residents’ ability to protest against new developments and give less time to appeal.

Deramore said: “The house responds to the fact that we live in an era where construction is ranked as one of the world’s least sustainable industries. This building addresses that - and it is those qualities that are innovative and compelling about this family home.”

Local interest in the project has been high and it now has its own Facebook page at www.facebook.com/akacommunity.

“We did a lot of door-to-door consultation with the neighbours, both prior to designing the home and recently during the planning process. In general, we found them in support. Many said they would be very interested in seeing it built.”

The application has been submitted to Oldham Council and will be considered at a future meeting.



Our website carries on ly a small number of heavily-edited stories from tonight’s print and eChron editions



Follow us on Twitter @oldhamchronicle