Design process

The Somerset Trust for Sustainable Development was set up in 2000 with a mission to "make sustainable construction the norm, rather than the exception, in the country by 2010".

With few exemplary schemes around, STSD decided to actively build schemes to demonstrate sustainable development and to increase the core funding of the trust. South West Eco Homes Ltd (now Ecos Homes) was constituted and received outline planning for housing on the site at Great Bow Yard in early 2003. The broad aim of the development was to demonstrate to the mainstream private sector that it is possible to build sustainable homes and still make a profit.

SWEH set up a limited design competition which five architects entered. Stride Treglown Architects won the competition and began the detailed design process to achieve a long list of stringent sustainability requirements. They and SWEH worked closely with the planners and ran a series of public consultation exercises. The site received full planning permission at the beginning of 2004, work began on site that autumn and the housing was completed in December 2005. During this phase of construction, the STSD and Stride Treglown led bi-weekly tours for students, architects and others to provide learning for sustainable construction in action.

The second phase of commercial and restaurant/café space began on site in 2006 and will be complete in the Autumn 2007.