Green homes win praise from Shadow Minister

OLDHAM’S St Mary’s estate has won and been nominated for a number of awards for its innovative and environmentally-friendly design, and includes two homes of Passivhaus Standard — super low-energy homes with an average heating bill of £20 a year

ENVIRONMENTALLY-friendly homes in Oldham have been praised by Shadow Secretary for Energy and Climate Change Caroline Flint MP during a visit.

The Labour MP toured the £15 million St Mary’s housing development, which includes some of the greenest homes in the country, with Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams.

Ms Flint met Contour Homes resident Rubana Altaf in her house — one of four Code 6 homes on the development with a zero-carbon rating thanks to solar panels on the roof, water recycling and other features.

She said: “It was great meeting Rubana in her lovely home and hear how her, and her family’s, lives have been so improved by sustainable, modern housing.

The St Mary’s development, built by contractor Keepmoat with Oldham Council, the Homes and Communities Agency and architects Nicol Thomas, has 93 new homes, two of them super low-energy homes with no draughts, low noise and average heating bills of £20 a year.