Tees template for the future

Apr 7 2008 By Jez Davison, Evening Gazette

BOSSES responsible for the £200m RiversideOne scheme have claimed Teesside’s exclusion from the government’s list of proposed eco-towns will have no bearing on local regeneration projects.

Joe Docherty, chief executive of Tees Valley Regeneration, said the government snub “would have no bearing” on Tees Valley’s ability to deliver sustainable community schemes.

He said: “We have not asked for designation (to be an eco town). We will press ahead with Middlehaven and other schemes as planned”.

Meanwhile, developer BioRegional Quintain kick-started the official launch of RiversideOne by claiming it will be the most environmentally sustainable scheme in the UK.

Although Teesside will not be a pilot for a series of low-carbon, environmentally friendly towns, managing director of BioRegional Quintain, Pete Halsall said Community in a Cube (CIAC) would be an ideal template for a miniature eco-town with a vibrant sustainable community.

He said: “This scheme is like no other, bringing together design, sustainability and community spirit.

“This is not just about bricks and mortar. We are trying to create an infrastructure in which a community spirit can develop and flourish”.

Built on eight storeys, CIAC’s 80 homes are a mix of studio, one and two-bedroom apartments with fresh air ventilation and heat recovery system to cut costs. Bathrooms include fittings designed to deliver water efficiency.