Green power for village homes

Eco-friendly technology being fitted in homes undergoing major refurbishment at Hill Top has received the thumbs up from local councillors Les Smith and Carol Fox.

The small village of Hill Top near Arley is being redeveloped by Waterloo Housing Association working in partnership with North Warwickshire Borough Council.

The £4.3 million development, backed by a £1.9 million grant from the Homes and Communities Agency, will transform 33 ex-Coal Board properties into modern family homes.

The first upgraded properties are being fitted with ground source heat pumps. Using pipes that travel 60 metres beneath the ground, the pumps will ‘harvest’ the earth’s natural heat to boost hot water and central heating systems, making a substantial saving on household bills.

Chris Jones, development and regeneration director at Waterloo, said: “After years of planning, it’s great that these old Edwardian houses will be given a new lease of life. The ground source heat pumps are a fantastic addition, by not only saving money but contributing to the fight against climate change.”

Waterloo Housing Association expects the first phase to be completed by May 2010.