The first elements of work have begun on the Vaughan Road site, in Whipton. The work will be to build dozens of new ultra low energy council homes for residents in Exeter. The first stage will create 35 new Passivhaus homes for people in housing need in the city.

Eventually the three stages of the development will deliver 91 new homes. This first stage will  be  a mix of one and two bedroom apartments for older people and includes a community room for the use of all of tenants.

Video from Exeter City Council YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@CityCouncilExeter

Labour led, Exeter City council has set a target of of building 500 new Council homes for the city between 2020 and 2030, and this development is part of that work.

Labour Council Leader Cllr Phil Bialyk said:

“I couldn’t be more pleased that this scheme is now getting underway. We’ve waited a long time to get this far and it’s great that we are creating low energy homes for older people which will lower costs to run them and help cut our carbon footprint.

“Exeter badly needs more affordable homes to rent and the Council is leading the way in developing the highest quality accommodation for the benefit of residents in the city.”

Cllr Barbara Denning, Labour Lead Councillor for Council Housing, said:

“We all know that more high quality, affordable accommodation is very much needed in Exeter and I cannot wait for the first council tenants to move into this fantastic accommodation.

“The running costs will be very low because the accommodation is being built to the very high quality Passivhaus standard, and that will be excellent news for the tenants.

“I am very proud of the fact that we are creating top quality new council housing for the people of Exeter.”

The Council has declared a climate emergency and outlined its ambitions for net zero. The new homes in this development will help due the low energy usage, and of course lower fuel bills for the older residents who will be taking up residence in them when they are completed.