News / Affordable Housing

The affordable eco-homes planned for Horfield’s disused garage plots

By Safiya Bashir  Tuesday Jun 22, 2021

A new concept of council-owned eco-home has been proposed for building in Horfield.

Known as the ‘Gap House’, the affordable housing design has been put forward by BDP – the architectural Bristol studio, in partnership with the Bristol Housing Festival.

The net-zero homes are designed to be built on a disused garage plot, which often take up space within the city.

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Nine affordable, one-bedroom, two-storey homes have been proposed for a disused garaged plot in Horfield, where the homes will be super-insulated for minimal heating requirements and include renewable energy with solar PV panels and air source heat pumps.

The innovative designs are an attempt to tackle the city’s housing crisis, which could have the potential to be rolled out in Bristol and across the country.

The proposed location is on a disused garage site. Credit: BDP.

“The consultation relating to the site near Bell Close in Horfield, Bristol is proposing nine affordable and highly sustainable homes with shared green space, community gardens and outdoor seating areas.” said councillor Tom Renhard, who is the cabinet member for housing delivery and homes at Bristol City Council.

“The Gap House concept has the potential to revitalise this disused garage plot and deliver much needed affordable housing. Manufacture of the houses would largely be carried out off-site which would cause less disruption than a traditional build during the construction phase.”

Main photo: BDP

Read more: Bristol to become a hotbed of innovation in bid to tackle housing crisis

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