Construction work has officially begun on a unique affordable housing development that will see the future residents help build their new homes from strawbales and timber.

Yesterday the Bramley site held a ‘ground breaking’ ceremony, attended by LILAC members and their families, as well as representatives of the professional and statutory agencies involved in the project.

LILAC, is a co-housing project, self-funded by its members with assistance from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and The Department of for Energy and Climate Change (DECC). Leeds City Council has supported the project by offering the LILAC group a deferred purchase option on the former school site in the Bramley/Kirkstall area.

Councillor Peter Gruen, Leeds City Council executive board member for neighbourhoods and housing said:

"It is fantastic to see this kind of project starting in Leeds. It is something totally different for Leeds, and no doubt a project that will inspire others across the city to be involved in similar ideas. The project will provide additional affordable housing, which is certainly much needed. But more than this, it will allow people to be involved in building their own homes which will enable them to live the lifestyle of their choosing, with minimal impact on the environment."

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The 20 new homes will be built around a community ‘common house’ designed with shared cooking, eating, laundry, leisure and meeting facilities, many open to the surrounding community, that will allow all members of the community to live together in a way that will drastically reduce its their carbon footprint.

The contractor, Lindum Construction, have started on the site foundations, but the walls are being assembled off site, in what has been dubbed a "Flying Factory", with the assistance of LILAC members. Using an approach pioneered by the firm Modcell, the walls are made from strawbales, timber frames and lime render to provide a super-insulated, energy-efficient and renewable alternative to traditional building materials.

Simon Gregory, Managing Director of Lindum Construction, said:

"We are delighted to be constructing this very exciting housing project - the first time in the UK that a complete housing development has been constructed using the Modcell prefabricated panels with strawbales to provide insulation. We are committed to improving the environment so a pioneering housing scheme like this, designed to encourage living as 'lightly' on earth as possible whilst addressing the need for affordable housing, is a great project to be part of and builds on our reputation for constructing sustainable affordable housing."

LILAC believe they’re the first eco-village in the UK to combine the three values of affordability, sustainability and communal living and expect the project to be completed by the end of November 2012.

(HMc)