Eco-friendly homes at Derwenthorpe, Osbaldwick (From York Press)

Eco-friendly homes at Derwenthorpe, Osbaldwick

1:46pm Thursday 29th September 2011

The imaginative, eco-friendly Derwenthorpe development at Osbaldwick has already won a major industry award. Brian Page reports.

A LITTLE over a century ago the Joseph Rowntree Foundation created the garden village of New Earswick as ‘a model community’, with fine housing, green and open spaces and within easy reach of work and leisure facilities.

When the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust began planning the new Derwenthorpe development at Osbaldwick it had a clear mission – to create a 21st century version of the New Earswick vision.

The plans were not without controversy and there was opposition to the development from some local people and environmental groups.

This week, however, as preparations are being finalised for the launch of a show home on the site, the project is very much green for go… in all senses of the word.

And the project, the first phase of which is being spearheaded by house-builders David Wilson, has won a major industry award – largely thanks to its eco-friendly build plans and designs.

The accolade came in the Housing Design Awards (judged by representatives from government, private sector and architects, planners and designers).

Derwenthorpe was only one of seven project winners from a record number of entries.

“Besides putting people as close as possible to work and leisure to cut travel, the homes will be built to a high level of energy efficiency,” the judges commented.

“With prototypes already built and being monitored, the first phase of Derwenthorpe is set to become an important step towards a low-carbon exemplar in this country.”

So, the vision is on its way to being delivered – but what does this mean for housebuyers?

We’ve taken a look at the development and the house styles on offer in the first phase.

And the first thing to note is that these are very much cutting-edge, contemporary homes – with striking designs both externally and internally.

Take, for instance, the ‘Kestrel’ style home, one of the biggest on offer. It is a sprawling, spacious home which a delightfully light and airy kitchen/dining room which has a unique ‘winter garden’ area off – as well as separate utility room and a cloakroom. There is a lounge with French doors opening onto a garden – and the (in our view huge) advantage of a purpose-specific home office.

On the first floor there are four bedrooms, the largest of which has an en-suite shower room, while another looks out onto a second ‘winter garden’, and a house bathroom.

On the second floor there is a wonderful master bedroom with ensuite and storage space (in fact storage is a feature of this house as there is roof storage and roof void storage areas on two floors). A garage is included in the package, the prices for which begin at £409,950.

If that’s a tad too rich for your pockets, well, you don’t have to go that high to buy into the JRHT vision. The ‘Wren’ style home is available from £264,995 and shares many of the qualities of the larger Kestrel (including a double height winter garden).

This home offers an excellent open-plan lounge and dining area, a well-equipped kitchen and cloak and store rooms. Upstairs, there are two bedrooms and a bathroom and a home office – and then there is a master bedroom with en-suite shower room on the second floor.

Another value-for-money home comes in the shape of the ‘Raven’, an end-of-terrace house which has a big open plan space on the ground floor designed to give you living and dining areas and a home office/study area as well as kitchen and cloakroom. On the first floor there are three bedrooms (one ensuite) and a house bathroom. Prices for this style begin at £239,995.

The Brambling, meanwhile, returns to the three-storey format with two bedrooms, bathroom and home office on the first floor and a large master bedroom with en-suite (and a balcony) above. The ground floor gives you an open-plan lounge and dining room and a separate kitchen.

Prices start at £259,995.

And, then there’s the Robin, again a three-storey home, but in this instance a mid-townhouse.

Offered from £254,995, it has a very striking external look – and plenty of space inside including the kitchen opening to a dining and lounge area, two bedrooms and bathroom to first floor and master bedroom with en-suite and a study to the top floor.

So, impressive designs, hugely eco-friendly houses and already winning awards.

Small wonder David Wilson Homes are delighted with progress.

There will be a show home available to view on site soon but, for now, you can have a look at the development layout and house styles on offer by popping into the visitor centre (open daily 10am-5pm) or calling 0844 811 5515.