Work resumes on Bishop's Castle eco village

Work has restarted at a south Shropshire eco-village that was mothballed three years ago when its previous developer went into receivership.

Fairmist Homes has begun work on the final 20 environmentally-friendly homes at the Wintles green housing development in Bishop's Castle.

The firm has promised to invest up to £4.5million in the site, where work has stalled since July 2008 after receivers took over the company that launched the scheme, Living Villages.

Residents at the Wintles green housing development in Bishop's Castle today spoke of their relief after three years of uncertainty about whether the 40-home project would ever be finished.

Keith Wood, chairman of the Wintles Residents Association, said: "It's been a worrying time for us all so it is a tremendous relief for work to start again, particularly as the company finishing it is so concerned to do a first class job.

"The new company is absolutely excellent and has been consulting with us and town residents. This may bring up to 40 new residents to the town, so it is important to get it right."

Mr Wood added it was a boost for incoming residents, many of whom had paid deposits but have been on waiting lists for several years.

The 20 homes will be the third and final phase at the site, which started with 12 initial eco-houses in 2005.

The eco-village includes energy-saving technologies, such as solar panels and state-of-the-art insulation systems, and shared grounds featuring recycling facilities, allotments, orchards and a communal piggery.

Fairmist, which is run by Cavendish & Gloucester Plc, has said it hopes for all the new homes to be completed by early 2012.

Four of the 20 plots are owned by Bromford Housing Group, but Fairmist is hopeful a deal can be struck to allow all 20 phase three homes to be completed together.

It said in a statement: "This new community of energy efficient, eco-friendly homes is continuing to prove popular with residents."

By Danny Carden