Chester Long Court wins design award

Published: 7 June 2019

An environmentally-friendly housing complex has scooped a top design award.

Chester Long Court – 26 high-quality affordable homes in Whipton, Exeter, has won the Design through Innovation Award at the Royal Institute for Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Awards (South West).

As a regional winner, the complex in Vaughan Road will now go through to the National finals in London later in the year.

Chester Long Court first opened its doors to tenants on the City Council’s waiting list at the end of 2018.

Designed by Exeter based Gale and Snowden, built by CG Fry and project managed by Randall Simmonds, the complex pushes the number of Passivhaus homes developed by the City Council to 67.

Passivhaus is a rigorous voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building. Properties use little energy for heating, with triple-glazed windows and impenetrable insulation, keeping energy bills down and reducing the ecological footprint.

Cllr Laura Wright, Lead Councillor for Council Housing Development & Services, said she was delighted with the news.

“To be recognised by the Royal Institute for Chartered Surveyors is the icing on the cake. We were thrilled with the finished building and rightly so. Now our tenants are experiencing the energy efficiency benefits that Passivhaus delivers – reducing energy bills and producing a comfortable living environment. It’s good news all round!”

Chester Long Court – named after the former City Council Leader, Chester Long –  also made the shortlist in the Residential category at the RICS Awards and elsewhere has been shortlisted for Residential Property of the Year in the Michelmores Property Awards.