Innovative new homes being developed in Aviemore

Highland home buyers can look forward to greener energy and lower bills thanks to an innovative new private housing scheme being developed in Aviemore.

Local builder Allan Munro Construction has just completed the first phase of 24 two and three-bedroom family houses at Milton Burn, in Aviemore.

A luxury low-carbon show home opening took place on Saturday, January 24, attracting around 20 couples, with two homes, including the show home, priced at £295,000 being sold.

Unlike other homes in the area, which are heated usually by fuel oil or liquid propane gas (LPG), the Milton Burn properties will be heated by a single biomass heating network powered by four 35kilowatt pellet boilers – a first for Aviemore.

The development which has homes with an estimated price range of £195,000 to £295,000, lies in a woodland setting in a well-established residential area, and is proving popular. Three homes, one of which is the show home, are complete and following on from the weekend, seven have been snapped up.

“To the homeowner they offer everything you would expect from a high-quality new-build home,” said Allan Munro Construction managing director, Cameron Munro.

“The build standard is extremely high, with excellent insulation and Scandinavian-standard windows and doors. The real difference lies in how they are heated.

“Rather than each home having its own boiler burning costly and polluting oil or LPG, every house will be linked to a community biomass scheme via highly-insulated pipes, with metered and price-guaranteed hot water permanently on tap.”

The wood pellet boilers are being installed in a single wood-clad unit and will be operated by Cairngorm Bioheat Ltd – a partnership which includes Allan Munro Construction and local biomass specialists Zhaus Sustainable Living – which will offer all new home owners the same long-term fixed-price energy deal. Each house will have underfloor heating on the ground floor with radiators upstairs.

“Community heating is ideal, especially for areas such as Aviemore which are not connected to the national gas grid,” said Mr Cameron.

“The biomass network will provide heating and hot water to each home at a lower cost than oil or LPG, and homeowners will not have the worry or expense of buying and maintaining a boiler in their own home. The only difference people will notice is lower bills. These are high-quality family homes, and our aim is to make them as comfortable and energy efficient as possible.”

Accommodation in the detached two storey Einich-type show home, comprises on the ground floor, a hall, kitchen, utility room, lounge, study area, shower and bedroom. Upstairs there is a master bedroom with en-suite, a further bedroom and a family bathroom.

Allan Munro Construction has registered with the Scottish Government’s Help to Buy (Scotland) Scheme, which allows qualifying purchasers to secure up to 20% of the cost of the property through an equity loan.

Contact: www.amchomes.co.uk or call Julia at RE/MAX Cairngorm on 01479 810531.