Housebuilder rolls out “innovative” sustainability upgrades to £2.13bn portfolio

Weston Homes has unveiled details of the volume housebuilder’s major commitment to sustainability, with eco-friendly construction and specification features being rolled out currently, and over the next five years, across the group’s £2.13bn portfolio (DGV) of residential and mixed use developments in London and the south east.

This includes 20 current active sites and over 7,500 new homes ranging from traditional housing to large scale urban regeneration projects.

All Weston Homes developments, either already under construction or in the pipeline, will offer sustainable features including air source heat pumps and/or District Network Heating systems, home appliances chosen for their high EU Energy Efficiency Ratings and low water usage, parking bays with Electric Vehicle charging points and PV Solar Panels.

Natural gas has been removed as an energy source within all future homes, and at many developments already underway across the portfolio, three years ahead of the forthcoming legal requirement to do so from 2025.

In order to implement the commitment to sustainability, Weston Homes has a 25-employee strong Environmental Department and an energy and sustainability team headed by passionate environmental expert Heidi Pateman.

Weston Homes projects include the £350m Abbey Quay urban village in Barking, the £60m Grade II listed Gun Hill Park in Aldershot, the £0.5bn 10.4 acre Lorimer Village in Goodmayes, the £50m Town Quay Wharf in Barking, the £53m Victoria Central in Southend-on-Sea and the £85m The Laundry Works in Watford.

Bob Weston, chairman & managing director of Weston Homes, commented: “For over three decades, Weston Homes has continually striven to produce innovative, high quality homes to appeal to purchasers from all walks of life.

“There is now a strong “green premium” from homebuyers, who are increasingly aware of the importance of environmental sustainability and also want energy efficient homes which are designed to help minimise their fuel bills and running costs.

Suzanne Aplin, group sales & marketing director at Weston Homes added: “Scientists have warned that we must act now to avoid huge climate change and that everyone including governments, companies and individuals must help in this initiative.

“This is why Weston Homes is committed to sustainability and why across the entire business we are looking at all ways that we can introduce eco-friendly features both into the homes we are selling and how we operate as a business.”