Pobl and Castleoak to bring low-carbon homes to Alway in Newport

• 39 affordable homes will redevelop the one-hectare site formerly home to the Ladyhill Day Centre and Seven Stiles pub.
• The project is part of the Welsh Government’s £155 million Innovative Housing Programme.
• The timber frames for the homes will be pre-fabricated at Castleoak’s offsite manufacturing facility in Ebbw Vale before being assembled on site.

Alway in Newport will gain 39 low-carbon affordable homes as Castleoak and Pobl partner on a project at the former site of the Ladyhill Day Centre and Seven Stiles pub.

The frames of the homes will be pre-fabricated at Castleoak’s offsite manufacturing facility in Ebbw Vale, including pre-fitted windows and insulation, and adapted to house specialist mechanical and electric solutions and smart water cylinders, aiming to maximise energy efficiency. The homes will also have roof solar panels and storage batteries, further minimising the homes’ lifetime carbon footprint and energy costs. Once created, they will be assembled at the site by Castleoak’s construction team.

More than 70% of the world population live in timber frame homes. Timber frame homes are growing in popularity in the UK because of the environmental benefits of the material and speed of the build, and the ability to optimise them for heat retention so they minimise energy consumption and keep costs low for residents.

“Pobl has a growing reputation for delivering forward thinking housing solutions, and we are excited to be working with Castleoak on this project that will deliver much needed affordable and truly sustainable homes for Newport. We’re grateful for the support of the Welsh Government & Newport City Council on this project and we share their ambitions to create high quality places to live – and we look forward to working with the Alway community on this new venture.” Gavin Howells, Senior Project Manager

“Our homes can help us live happier and more fulfilling lives. Increasingly that means buildings which can give us good conscience and reduce the pull on our purse-strings through lower energy costs. That’s what we’re going to bring to Alway. “It’s fantastic to be working with Pobl to bring truly low-carbon, affordable homes to people in Newport, not just through the fabric of the buildings, but also through innovative energy solutions which will help to keep costs low for future residents.” Andrew Duggan, Managing Director of Offsite Manufacturing at Castleoak