Built for people in straw houses

 It’s certainly not a new idea but in Waddington these straw houses are a first. North Kesteven District Council is celebrating the completion of the country’s first straw bale council house, in Lincolnshire. 

 The council in Lincolnshire is the driving force behind the construction of the first straw bale council houses in the country. It is overseeing the project in order to directly tackle the problem of providing affordable homes in the District, as well as improving the sustainability of the community.

The council set a budget of £110,000 per home. This is approximately £20,000 less than a traditional brick-built property of the same size and design.

Initially a figure of £60,000 had been quoted in the national press. However, this figure relates to self build, where there are no labour costs..

Both houses. which are now complete at Brumby Crescent were jointly funded by the Council and the Homes & Community Agency and are built to the highest environmental specifications. The revolutionary design and build technology includes walls made of straw bales, sheep’s wool padding in the floor and extra thick roof insulation, recycled glass blocks in the foundations and lime instead of cement in all aggregates.

They also feature large south facing windows for maximum warmth and light and are triple glazed to reduce heat loss. They have three times the insulation value of conventional homes, feature solar water heating and have entirely chemical-free natural construction materials, where possible. The homes also have an estimated 200 year lifespan in addition to dramatically reduced costs for heating due to their high insulation ratings.

Work has just begun on the construction of North Kesteven District Council’s second pair of straw houses at Martin. NKDC Property Services Manager Michael Gadd said:

“These straw houses are not only innovative, but also pioneering, as they are the first properties of this type to be built by a local authority to be used for social housing in the country. “This is a scheme that has not been matched by any other local authority, and it is hoped these houses, built through this new type of technology, will set a leading example to developers, housing associations and other Councils throughout the country.”

The houses will be allocated through the normal North Kesteven District Council register and housing allocation scheme. Anyone can apply – but they will all go through the same process. A spokeswoman for the council said that they hoped to be able to knock the cost down further through their experiences.  

Straw houses are houses which use tightly packed strawbales held together with hazel pins as the main structural element. These houses, however, look like conventional brick built properties, as the straw walls,  plastered with lime and the roof, windows and doors, are all traditional.  

Straw bale buildings have been constructed in America since the first baling machine was invented in the late 1800s. The first straw building in the UK was built in 1994, and since then, over 100 buildings have been constructed. North Kesteven District Council, however, is the first local authority to build straw houses to be used as social housing. The Council is taking direct action to tackle the problem of providing affordable homes in the District, with more and more people seeking affordable housing. The strawbale walls also mean that the houses will be better insulated, and as a result, the properties will not need heating systems. However, wood burning stoves will be installed for very cold weather. The tenant will benefit from this by having more money in his or her pocket, and the environment will benefit because less energy is being used. The straw houses scheme is being overseen by North Kesteven District Council, but several other groups are involved in bringing this project to fruition.

The houses have been designed by Amazonails, a not-for-profit social enterprise based in Todmorden, West Yorkshire. They offer design, consultancy, training and support in Strawbale building, and other sustainable building techniques. The company's aims include raising the profile of, and promoting, natural and sustainable building, and making the building process accessible to all.  Amazonails has over 15 years experience in designing and constructing strawbale homes, and won the Grand Designs Eco Home of the Year award in 2008.

Leader of North Kesteven District Council, Councillor Mrs Brighton, OBE, said:

“These are the first council houses of their kind in the country, and North Kesteven District Council is proud to be the driving force behind the scheme. We hope that other local authorities will be inspired to build affordable, sustainable houses like these.”