By Thom Kennedy

Last updated at 13:04, Monday, 29 December 2008

The man behind what could be the country’s first zero carbon house says Eden Council is facing a test planning case which could revolutionise new homes in the UK.

Matthew Nielsen has appealed against the council’s refusal of his application for the four-bedroom house, complete with wind turbine, solar panels and low electricity boiler in Greystoke Gill, near Penrith.

The proposal was turned down on the grounds that it does not meet with the council’s planning policy.

However, national policy states that houses should be allowed if they are of architectural or technological significance, and it is on these grounds that Mr Nielsen plans to appeal.

He said: “The council have got the chance to help spearhead the future of house design, or to encourage it within the district, but they are obviously choosing not to at the moment.

“We are appealing because this is a test case, which means it is hard to judge which way it will go.

“It will all come down to the interpretation of that planning policy.”

As well as the turbine, solar panels and boiler, several other tried and tested types of environmentally-friendly technology will also be brought together under one roof to make the house as energy efficient as possible.

In 2006, the Government launched a code to rate the energy efficiency of new homes from one to six, with six being the most efficient. Two buildings have been built which match the top specification, but both are in a Building Research Establishment facility in Watford.

There are no level six homes for public use in the country, however, all new houses in the country are intended to be carbon neutral by 2016.

Companies around the country have suggested carbon neutral developments, but none have been built, and the Greystoke Gill project could yet be the first.

First published at 11:27, Monday, 29 December 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk