Woodhall Road

Employers Agent: Oxbury & Co
Planning Supervisor/CDM: Oxbury & Co.
Structural Engineer: J.P Chick & Partners
Energy Assessors: Enhabit Ltd

This relatively modest scheme was a significant development for our clients Myriad Housing as it was the first highly sustainable and energy-efficient ‘fabric first’ design. The scheme was devised in readiness for the Government’s Future Homes Standards which are to come into effect in 2025.

As energy consumption was a foremost consideration in the design, timber frame construction was adopted due to its low embodied energy using renewable resources. High levels of insulation and airtightness together with highly efficient heat pump technology and high-efficiency LED lighting reduce everyday energy demand with the resultant lowering of CO2 emissions. The scheme also features photovoltaic cells and strictly controlled water consumption including rainwater harvesting.

Surrounded by housing and densely vegetated, the secluded nature of the site made it a focus of anti-social behaviour and so Chelmsford City Council entered into a joint venture to develop it to provide affordable accommodation ranging from 1-Bed 2- Person Flats to 4-Bed 6-Person Houses.

A strategy known as biodiversity offsetting was applied to the site whereby the natural habitat at nearby St Andrews Park was enhanced and new habitat created in order to replace the biodiversity provided by the former use of the site. This process has now developed into the legislation enacted to demonstrate biodiversity net gain (BNG) which is now applied to all new development.