New green apartment scheme hits full occupancy

A Huddersfield housing scheme powered entirely by renewable energy is now fully occupied, following the completion of a multi-million-pound project to transform an old retail centre into 29 green homes by developer and landlord Euroconnect Properties.

Lloyds Bank backed the firm with a seven-figure commercial loan for the project, which includes the installation of more than 200 solar panels to generate electricity, and a ground source heat pump to provide central heating and hot water to all the residents and the commercial units.

Three ground floor retail units are also now occupied by Subway, Domino’s and Coral, at the Wakefield Road development.

Named The Deal House, the scheme is one of the first buildings of its kind in Yorkshire, powered completely by green energy with zero carbon footprint.

The renewable energy sources, encouraged by the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive and the Electric Feeding Tarif schemes, will help to reduce costs across the building by more than £35,000 each year.

Originally built as a cinema, the site was taken over for retail use in 1978 by Lodges Supermarket, with Euroconnect Properties purchasing the building in 2014 for redevelopment.

The developer, led by Huddersfield University alumni Kami Sodhi and Simmi Sekhon, is also planning to bring another 42 new apartments to market in Huddersfield. This other scheme will meet ultra-low energy standards and be powered by ground source heat pumps.

Kami Sodhi, director at Euroconnect Properties, said: “The new apartments at Deal House have been a hit with young professionals, having been snapped up following the rental market’s restart post-lockdown. Each unit has a modern design and is fully furnished, while retaining some of the buildings’ original, historic features. They are completely green, comfortable and very well equipped.

“The team at Lloyds Bank has been an excellent partner for this project, helping us to give a new lease of green-powered life to the building. We feel proud to be able to contribute to one of the most urgent challenges of our time. The protection of our environment cannot wait and we all need to take responsibility and do as much as we possibly can to leave a healthy planet for the future generations.”

Kelly Roberts, relationship director at Lloyds Bank, said: “It’s so important for new housing to provide high levels of energy efficiency, particularly as we set out towards a green recovery after the Covid-19 crisis.

“It’s excellent to see developers like Euroconnect Properties leading the way in building homes fit for the future, going above and beyond building regulations for energy efficiency. We’re proud to be by its side as we back more firms that help Britain prosper.”

Lloyds Banking Group has pledged to work with customers, government and the market to help reduce the carbon emissions it finances by more than 50% by 2030, which is the estimated equivalent of removing the emissions produced by almost a quarter of UK homes.