A PROJECT to build more carbon-neutral homes in Oxfordshire has been awarded £30,000.

The Local Government Housing Advisers Programme has awarded the cash jointly to West Oxfordshire District Council and two neighbouring councils – Cotswold and Dean.

This year, each of the councils declared a ‘climate emergency’ with the aim of achieving carbon neutrality in their areas within the next decade.

Read also: Ed Vaizey welcomed back to Conservatives after Brexit rebellion

Now they have made a successful bid through the Housing Advisers Programme to secure expert advice to assist in the production of a toolkit (similar to a residential design guide) that will guide how carbon neutral homes could be built.

West Oxfordshire councillor Steve Good said: “This funding allows our partnership to produce a bespoke carbon neutral development policy.

“With a well-designed toolkit, including Passivhaus standards to provide virtually zero heating bills, the partnership will embrace the challenges of design and delivery on major developments including a new garden village, single dwellings, rural exception sites and the retrofitting of existing homes.”

Read also: City centre Conservative club to be demolished for student flats

Work towards the toolkit will run alongside the production of local plans for housing.

The councils hope to publish the final toolkit by spring 2021.

The carbon neutral toolkit will assist developers, housing providers, existing homeowners, self-builders and local communities wishing to work with the councils to bring forward sustainable carbon neutral applications.

The Local Government Association’s Housing Advisers Programme 2019-20 is designed to support councils seeking to innovate in meeting the housing needs of their communities.