Cornwall’s market leading low carbon housing scheme reaches completion

Cornish developer Treveth has announced its flagship low carbon housing scheme in Redruth has reached completion with all new homes now occupied.

Located in the Tolgus area of Redruth, and delivered in partnership with Vistry South West, Gwel Basset is the Cornish developer’s first residential scheme to adopt its own sustainable Design Guide which sets new standards for quality, design, and low carbon development in Cornwall. It is one of the largest residential projects in the UK designed to achieve challenging whole-life carbon emissions targets set for 2030.

Addressing the housing need in Cornwall, Gwel Basset has brought 185 new homes to the area with a mix of one, two, three and four bedroom homes for those who live, work in, or have family connections in the immediate vicinity of the site. None of the homes are second homes with 84 homes privately rented, 28 sold on the open market, 26 rented as affordable housing and 12 bought under the Shared Ownership scheme. There have also been 35 homes on the scheme provided for Cornwall Council under a mix of tenures. 

As well as setting new standards in sustainable design, Gwel Basset has been the site where Treveth achieved a major business milestone – the delivery of its 250th open market rental home. The landmark number underlines both the scale of the scheme and Treveth’s growing role in improving the access to quality rental homes across Cornwall. 

Dulcie Paleschi, Head of Residential Portfolio Management at Treveth, commented: “We’re delighted to announce the completion of Gwel Basset, our market leading low carbon site. It’s a significant milestone for Treveth as it is our first large new homes site that has been built under our own design and sustainability manual, and it’s rewarding for the team to see all homes now occupied. Reaching our 250th open market rental home here at Gwel Basset is another proud marker for us, showing the real difference we are making in delivering quality rental homes for local people. We’ve successfully brought much needed new homes to people who really need them.

“It’s our mission to play a part in shaping Cornwall’s communities and places positively, which includes improving the quality of new homes in the volatile private rented sector. With the majority of homes at Gwel Basset privately rented, we’ve completed the mission we set out to achieve and will continue to provide homes for Cornwall across our future sites.”  

Peter Sadler, Managing Director at Vistry South West, commented: “Gwel Basset is a landmark development for Cornwall, and a shining example of what can be achieved through strong partnership. Working alongside Treveth, we’ve delivered 185 high-quality, low-carbon homes that reflect our shared commitment to sustainability, inclusivity, and community. Together, we’re setting a bold new standard for housing in the South West.”

Gwel Basset has been a significant site for Treveth. Not only was it the first housing scheme to be constructed from the ground up since the company was founded by Cornwall Council in 2019, it has secured a prestigious industry award which recognised it as a market leading low carbon estate housing scheme. 

All 185 homes have been designed to meet challenging operational and embodied carbon saving targets, benchmarked against the Royal Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA) 2030 Climate Challenge. RIBA has also confirmed the new homes already meet net zero science-based targets for 2030. 

There is no fossil fuel heating on the site, air source heat pumps and solar panels have been fitted, low energy LED lighting is used throughout homes, timber frames have been sourced from certified sources, more insulation has been used in floors, walls and roofs and materials have been sourced from the local area including Cornish air-cured concrete blocks made with secondary aggregate. 

The neighbourhood has been designed with healthy and sustainable lifestyles in mind, with good provision for cycle storage in homes and connections to local walking, cycling and public transport routes. Other features include green public spaces, edible planting and allotments. 

Local people are now enjoying their new homes at Gwel Basset with the location of the site standing out for most. 

Daniel and Bryony, residents at Gwel Basset, commented: “We’re really pleased and happy with our new home. The location is perfect for us as when our daughter grows up, she’ll be opposite the secondary school and a ten-minute walk away from the town and train station. It also meant a lot to us that the site we are on is for local people and what we would class as affordable.” 

Mr Zorba, another resident at Gwel Basset, is particularly pleased with the energy efficiency of his home. He commented: “The air source heat panels are a bonus. Our energy cost is already 50% of what we used to pay.” 

Founded by Cornwall Council in 2019, Treveth is a Cornish company based in Truro where it currently employs 40 people. Treveth’s current residential sites include Park Lanneves, Bodmin; Hwel Kan, Blackwater and Hedhas Dowr, Trevemper. Several schemes are in development and will be coming forward in the near future, including Penwinnick Road, St Austell; Treyew Road, Truro, Coinagehall Street, Penzance; Hedhas Tewynnow, Connor Downs and Gwel an Pras, Newquay. 

For more information, visit www.treveth.co.uk.