Octopus Energy has joined forces with The Hill Group and Clarion Housing Group in a landmark strategic partnership to revolutionise sustainable living in the UK.
Hill and Octopus Energy are developing the nation’s most extensive ‘Zero Bills’ housing development, comprising 89 homes at Hollymead Square in Newport, Essex, where residents will pay no energy bills for a guaranteed minimum of five years.
Of the 89 total, 64 will be sold on the open market. The remaining 25 will be made available for affordable rent and shared ownership by Clarion Housing Group, the UK’s largest social housing provider. These will be the first completed ‘Zero Bills’ homes under affordable rent.
Following a successful pilot in Essex, Octopus Energy has now accredited close to 1,000 homes through contracts with other prominent developers. Accredited plots span affordable, social, and private rent, as well as private and shared ownership.
Each property at Hollymead Square, comprising two to five-bedroom houses and two-bedroom bungalows, will be equipped with cutting-edge low-carbon technology such as solar panels, high-quality insulation, heat pumps, and home storage batteries. Designed to exceed the energy requirements for each property, this high level of home energy technology is integrated and optimised by Octopus’ advanced tech platform, Kraken, to result in zero bills for homeowners.
Octopus Energy has set an ambitious goal of delivering 50,000 ‘Zero Bills’ homes across the UK and beyond by 2025, while Hill has a strategic goal in place to deliver net-zero carbon homes by 2030.
Construction of the new homes is underway and the sales launch is due to take place on 20th January, with the first homes expected to complete in spring 2024.
Michael Cottrell, zero bills homes director at Octopus Energy, commented: “This partnership with The Hill Group is the first giant leap in transforming the way we live in our homes and consume energy. This will also mark both the biggest ‘Zero Bills’ development in the UK and the first with affordable rent options with Clarion. This partnership pioneers a future where sustainable living is the standard for everybody, no matter their situation.”
Greg Hill, deputy chief executive at The Hill Group, said: “We are excited to be working in partnership with Octopus Energy to provide our customers with the largest residential ‘Zero Bills’ development in the UK. The new homes at Hollymead Square will provide a blueprint for future sustainable housing and mark the start of our fruitful strategic partnership to deliver new homes complete with cutting-edge low-carbon technology that enable zero energy bills.”
Richard Cook, group director of development at Clarion Housing Group, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Octopus Energy and The Hill Group on such an innovative project. It’s crucial that we cut emissions and cut bills for homes of all tenures. I am proud that Clarion residents will be among the first to benefit from a Zero Bills home.”
Source: Showhouse
