So called sustainable housing

Saying that Kent is being concreted over is unrealistic, equally unrealistic is calling yet another round of developer built housing estates, 'sustainable'.

In effectively all cases, the only thing sustainable about the mass of modern housing estates is the word.

Being sustainable is not just about putting a few solar panels or a wind turbine, its about lots more than that.

• Local sources of renewable energy
• Transport
• Local activities
• Consideration that homes are being built, not people storage units
• Noise
• Security
• Shops

Sittingbourne: Take a trip to what is known as 'ToyTown' to the back of Milton Regis. Slums in the making! Very little if any personal space (gardens). Virtually no parking, little if any secure parking. Where are the local shops, they seem to be very well hidden, not even a local pub! So, to go shopping you have to drive!

Now look at the new Fulston Manor Estate. Carefully named to attract parents to the local school. Again, same problems as Toy Town. Parking is at a premium and already causing disputes between neighbours. The snake like interconnecting roads are so narrow its barely possible to pass another car. Buy a property there and you get a garage, but its a leasehold garage! So a regular cost, effectively you are renting your garage which remains owned by the developers!

There's a little green patch in the middle of the development which was allowed to go overgrown by the developers even though local residents are charged for its maintenance. The developers said it was a wildlife haven and had to be left. It has since been cut!

Ashford is promoted as a focus for the development of sustainable housing, however the definition that is being used for sustainability seems to be ill defined and poorly conceived, in particular in a world where Climate Change is now a reality and even in Kent can be seen happening all round us.

Okay, properties must be built but lets not call it sustainable where it clearly isn't. It hides the problem behind a lie. We do need sustainable housing, as a fact, not a buzzword.

Some points:

In our society, it is clear that to afford a fairly normal family property it is almost certain that both adults in a normal family must work.

Build a housing estate on the edge of town without good and regular public transport and both workers will need a car to get to work. Starter homes invariably come with only one allocated parking space! But invariably you need two incomes to afford the house. Due to the location you need two cars.

Not one single new developer built property in Ashford (as at July 2007) has included solar panels or significant green investment beyond what is demand of building regulations.

Developer built properties are generally being built to the minimum standards allowed for by building regulations. Only self build homes tend to be built using Building Regs as the minimum standard!

Properties are being built with gardens so small that in order to enjoy being outside, people have to travel - i.e. they must drive somewhere.

The properties are too small to allow for further development such as additional insulation. It is impossible to turn a modern developer built house into a carbon neutral property, it has to be knocked down and started again!

Many of the properties are being built on recognised flood plains - note Thames Gateway!

Where are all the local shops?

Where are the local playing fields - no more than a 5 to 10 minute walk

Where are the local amenities, skateboard park, village hall, pub, café, restuarant that isn't McDonalds or KFC.

None of the current development in Ashford even approaches the stated definition of sustainability as it applies to people now, let alone those in the future - see definition above.

Observations from an informed layman.

In the case of a major development the housing needs to be built with a focus, a village hall, shops even a place of worship - ideally multi faith.

London Mews properties are sought after, take up very little space, why not replicate that layout.

Solar thermal panels are cheaper to install in bulk during the building of a home rather than as a later addition.

Ground source heat pumps are cheaper to install during the build, in particular where a vertical tube is used. Almost impossible to add later on most modern developments.

A normal modern starter home needs two wage earners to purchase, they need two car parking spaces.

Due to the small dimensions of modern homes, garages invariably are used as an extension to the home for storage.

The developers focus is maximising profits, not building a sustainable community.

Carbon Offsets and Sustainable Development

I spoke to Tim Yeo who has recently chaired a parliamentary committee on sustainable development. One of the uses he saw in carbon offsetting was in using them to declare UK homes carbon neutral.

Going on from there, the carbon offset projects might fund the development of low carbon homes in the developing world, in particular where there was significant development of new homes where it is easier to build in low carbon use.

I suggested that we should sidestep carbon offsets and simply build our own homes in as carbon neutral a fashion as possible and indicated Ashford! Tim Yeo was scathing about the current standards of house building in Ashford.

But whatever - lets build the best possible homes we can now! Rather like they do in other countries and in the UK when self builders are able to sidestep the developers.