Future Eco-Luxury Living in 2025: Developers Promote 'Britain's Greenest Homes' in the Kent Countryside, Featuring Zero-Carbon Homes, Organic Allotments, and a Bit of High-end Living.
In the picturesque Kent countryside, a new development is setting a sustainable benchmark. Hartdene Barns, a collection of nine net-zero carbon homes, are designed to be among the most eco-friendly in Britain.
Located on the site of a former dairy farm in Cowden, within the High Weald National Landscape, these homes seamlessly blend with their natural surroundings. Developed by sustainable housing developer Q New Homes, the properties have been designed to meet the stringent criteria of the Royal Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA) Climate Challenge, making them a pioneering development in the UK.
The homes' eco-friendly features are numerous. They boast net-zero carbon design, sustainable technologies, and the use of low-carbon materials. The homes are equipped with air-source heat pumps for efficient heating, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) for efficient ventilation, and PV solar panels for renewable energy generation. The use of low-carbon concrete in construction significantly reduces the carbon footprint of these homes.
Sustainability at Hartdene Barns extends beyond energy sources to include sustainable materials, interior appliances, and biodiversity promotion. Each resident will have their own on-site allotment managed by Roots Allotments, providing organic, no-dig, chemical-free spaces for residents. Efforts are being made to create other areas that will enhance biodiversity and create new habitats, such as native hedgerow, wildflowers, and insect hotels. Even pest control on the site is zoological rather than chemical, with owl nests added to encourage owls as natural pest control.
Annunciata Elwes, director of TIN MAN ART and an award-winning journalist, provides insights into the development. Elwes, who has a background in art, culture, property journalism, and co-founding a literary, art, and music festival in Oxfordshire, highlights the careful planning and diligence that has gone into making Hartdene Barns a green development.
Residents will enjoy a luxury living experience in the Kent countryside while maintaining environmental sustainability. The homes are designed by RIBA Award-winning architects, Nissen Richards Studio, ensuring both architectural beauty and environmental sustainability. The development is close to local villages and offers easy access to London and Gatwick Airport, making it an attractive option for those seeking a green lifestyle with modern conveniences.
Prices for properties at Hartdene Barns start from £1.25 million for a three-bedroom terraced property and go up to £2.5 million for a four-bedroom link detached barn. Toby Keel, who is also involved in the article, provides further details about the properties and the development's unique features. Annunciata Elwes currently lives in Hampshire with her family and a mischievous pug.
[1] https://www.qnewhomes.co.uk/hartdene-barns/ [2] https://www.nissenrichards.co.uk/project/hartdene-barns/
- The Hartdene Barns development, located in the Kent countryside, showcases the integration of environmental-science principles in lifestyle and home-and-garden sectors, as it aims to set a sustainable benchmark by being among the most eco-friendly homes in Britain.
- Beyond the net-zero carbon design, the properties at Hartdene Barns, developed by Q New Homes, incorporate various sustainable technologies and low-carbon materials, such as air-source heat pumps, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, PV solar panels, and low-carbon concrete, all contributing to overall sustainable living.
- Residents of Hartdene Barns will not only enjoy the luxury of modern conveniences but also contribute to biodiversity promotion through on-site allotments, native hedgerows, wildflowers, and insect hotels, creating a harmonious blend of nature and sustainable-living amidst the picturesque Kent countryside.
