Britain's first 'carbon negative' street opens its doors

The first ever ‘carbon negative' street has been unveiled as part of Britain's most eco-friendly social housing development: Sinclair Meadows in South Shields.

Designed by not-for-profit housing provider Four Housing Group, the carbon negative homes are made of natural materials like timber, hemp insulation and lime render and generate more energy than they require. A cutting-edge solar panel system will also provide electricity, while a zero-carbon communal biomass boiler, fed with recycled wood chippings, will provide heating and hot water. Toilets are flushed with rainwater collected from the rooftops and stored in underground tanks.

Sinclair Meadows was purpose-built to surpass the Government's definition of zero carbon, thereby enabling it to remove its own carbon footprint within three years.

The people moving in have been chosen from the local Council's property waiting list and will be trained in how to realise the full potential of their new homes. Residents will benefit from some of the lowest energy bills in the country, and will be encouraged to work as a community to advance their eco-friendly profile. Each home has its own shed to encourage them to raise their own allotments and grow their own fruit and vegetables. The community will also be responsible for looking after the thriving local wildlife, with bird boxes, bat boxes, kitchen gardens and even a ‘bug hotel'!

It is hoped that Sinclair Meadows could provide a blueprint for eco-homes and developments in the future...