Wokingham Borough Council is seeking a development partner for two housing schemes comprising over 200 net zero carbon homes.
The council will develop the schemes on its own greenfield land. Two outline applications for schemes of 130 and 87 homes have been lodged, with determination anticipated in autumn 2021.
Last month the council lodged plans for 87 homes at Winnersh Farm, following on from a similar application for a nearby scheme of just over 100 homes. It follows on from other council-led schemes including the Gorse Ride South Estate development and Finchampstead Road.
Wokingham is located in Berkshire, between Reading and Bracknell, 30 miles to the west of London.
The development partner would need to secure reserved matters planning consent. The council is seeking the most feasible option for a scheme of 50% affordable housing, with the lowest carbon outcome. The council would own and manage the affordable housing.
In 2019, Wokingham Borough Council declared a climate emergency, committing its assets to a target of net zero carbon by 2030.
In a preview ahead of a tender notice, the council said developers should consider embodied carbon reduction, as well as reducing carbon emissions in the construction. Proposals should also be gas-free, achieve higher water efficiency standards and contribute a 10% net biodiversity gain.
It said: “The council is interested to understand the different financial delivery models that could be used to deliver these housing developments.
“We are also particularly interested in what the incremental cost would be of building zero carbon, versus standard building standards.”
The council has asked for initial expressions of interest and will conduct market engagement in early September.
The development opportunity comes as local authorities and registered providers reassess their efforts to improve sustainability in affordable housing. Experts worry that high costs to retrofit old housing stock could lead to greater social housing sales to the private sector.
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