Sustainable Developer Celebrates Double WhatHouse? Awards Win

Gosport-based housebuilder Elite NuGEN is celebrating its two wins at the WhatHouse? Awards 2021, bringing national recognition to its expertise in building sustainable homes using modern methods of construction.

The company received a Gold in the Best Sustainable Development category, as well as a Silver for Best Small Housebuilder.

The award wins recognise the innovation and overall calibre of its Priddy’s Hard project in Gosport, an impressive zero-carbon development of 39 eco-friendly homes on the disused military brownfield site, formerly a naval fortress. The company has used modern methods of construction (MMC), a careful choice of materials to create properties with lower embedded carbon, and the latest renewable energy and home technology systems, combining to create homes with a 75% lower energy usage than a standard home – and a very welcome 75% saving on energy bills. Popularity of the award-winning homes has been high with 50% of the new properties sold off-plan.

The site was decommissioned by the military in the 1980s and despite its numerous historically important buildings and structures, the area had become overgrown and dilapidated. After three years of negotiations with the Environment Agency, Natural England, Historic England, planning officers and ecology groups, Elite NuGEN’s scheme for an initial 39 new homes, plus the refurbishment of Grade II listed buildings to form a new military museum, brewery and gastro pub, received planning approval.

The plan forms part of a £30million regeneration scheme between Elite and Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust that will provide good-quality housing, enable historic buildings to be revived and re-used, bring new jobs and visitors into the locality and boost the economy across Gosport and the wider area.

The comment from the judging panel on the WhatHouse? Awards praised Priddy’s Hard as “a blueprint for green living strikes gold” and noted: “It is rare to find a housing development that oozes such environmental conscience and eco-authenticity.” The judges praised the company for its commitment to using modern methods of construction, including setting up its own timber factory next to the development for convenient off-site construction, as well as for using renewable energy, incorporating flood management and carefully relocating wildlife; summing up the project as “a flagship development across the water from HMS Victory”.

Director David Craddock, who was praised by judges at WhatHouse? for “embracing sustainable technology and modern methods of construction long before they became fashionable”, is delighted with his double win at the Awards: “We are so proud to have been recognised amongst the very best of the UK's housebuilding industry.”

The company will shortly be launching a new phase of homes at Priddy’s Hard, including two-, three- and four-bedroom houses at Cordite Way and at Canary Yard. Find out more at www.elitenugen.com.

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