Castleoak and Pobl have partnered to bring low-carbon homes to Alway in Newport.

Castleoak, a Wales-based developer which specialises in later living and social housing, has teamed up with Pobl, a not-for-profit housing organisation, to bring 20 two-bed and 19 three-bed homes to the one-hectare site. The project is partly funded by the Welsh Government's £155 million Innovative Housing Programme, which seeks to use modern methods of construction to bring low-carbon affordable homes to Wales.

The frames of the homes will be pre-fabricated at Castleoak's offsite manufacturing facility in Ebbw Vale, including pre-fitted windows and insulation, and adapted to house specialist mechanical and electric solutions and smart water cylinders, aiming to maximise energy efficiency. The homes will also have roof solar panels and storage batteries, further minimising the homes’ lifetime carbon footprint and energy costs. Once created, they will be assembled at the site by Castleoak’s construction team.

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More than 70% of the world population live in timber frame homes. Timber frame homes are growing in popularity in the UK because of the environmental benefits of the material and speed of the build, and the ability to optimise them for heat retention so they minimise energy consumption and keep costs low for residents.

Andrew Duggan, Managing Director of Offsite Manufacturing at Castleoak said: "Our homes can help us live happier and more fulfilling lives. Increasingly that means buildings which can give us good conscience and reduce the pull on our purse-strings through lower energy costs. That’s what we’re going to bring to Alway.

"It's fantastic to be working with Pobl to bring truly low-carbon, affordable homes to people in Newport, not just through the fabric of the buildings, but also through innovative energy solutions which will help to keep costs low for future residents."