Best in the South West

The Cornhill Estates development on Parkside has been awarded a 2007 South West England Green Energy Awards, organised by Regen SW.

The awards, sponsored by Ocean Power Technologies, recognise and celebrate those individuals, organisations, local authorities and renewable energy companies who are leading the way, often against the odds, in the development of renewable energy in South West England.

The winners were chosen by an independent panel of judges, with expert knowledge in renewable energy from a high quality shortlist of entrants from across the region.

The awards were presented at a gala dinner last night at the Winter Gardens in Weston-Super-Mare at which Cornhill Estates won the award for the best housing development.

Cornhill Estates has built five eco-houses and six apartments at Poundbury in a joint venture with The Duchy of Cornwall.

The award comes just weeks after the firm was presented with a national award by the Building Research Establishment for a green housing project at Upton in Northampton.

Kim Slowe, a director with Cornhill Estates said: "We are delighted to have won these awards for our work in Poundbury and elsewhere.

"We are building on our sustainability credentials by going forward with a number of new schemes in 2008 including zero carbon houses at Poundbury."

A spokesman for the competition organisers said: "The Poundbury scheme was completed in the spring of 2007 and has achieved the standard of BREEAM EcoHomes Excellent for all the buildings.

"The houses have achieved in excess of 80 points which makes the scheme one of the highest scoring BREEAM EcoHomes schemes in the United Kingdom for 2007.

"The scheme is significant because it shows that low carbon homes can be built using traditional design methods, and that Ecohomes can be commercially viable."

The Poundbury homes include a range of features including rainwater collection to flush loos and for washing machines, sheep wool loft insulation and a heat recovery ventilation system to move warm air from kitchens and bathrooms round the house.