Pupils from Chapmanslade Primary School have created three 'bee-utiful' bee hotels for Newland Homes' new zero carbon houses in the village, and the school pupils recently swarmed to site to see their creations in situ.

The children worked together to plan, assemble and paint the bee hotels, using materials donated by Newland Homes. Pupils also had a say in the naming of the 'climate conscious' development, suggesting the name 'Honey Glade' as the village respects wildlife and the honey reference was a 'sweet' choice in their opinion.  The pupils' idea is also referenced in the new street names too, with one of the new addresses being Honey Gardens. 

Honey Glade will provide two and three bedroom bungalows, and three and four bedroom zero carbon homes, utilising the latest renewable technology for heat and power, such as air source heat pumps and solar panels, along with high levels of insulation. All homes achieve the top Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A, making them highly energy efficient, better for the environment and extremely cost effective to run. All properties have wiring for electric car charging.

 Sales Manager for Newland Homes, Alison Bowen, said: "The bee hotels have proven a real talking point amongst all our visitors and we were extremely impressed with the calibre of the work and how imaginative the children were in their designs."

Acting Head Teacher at Chapmanslade Primary School Rob Cottrell, said: "Our pupils were so excited to be part of suggesting potential road names for the new site during lockdown last year. There was even more excitement when one of our suggestions, 'Honey Glade' appeared in the village! Pupils have relished in learning about sustainability since Newland Homes visited us for an assembly. They loved designing and making the bee hotels for the site and it was fantastic to visit Honey Glade to see their creations in situ."

The 4.5 acre brownfield site originally formed part of Barters Farm commercial plant nursery just off the High Street in Chapmanslade and work commenced last year on the 43 zero carbon homes. There will also be a new play area set within a large area of public open space and several features have been introduced within the development to encourage wildlife and biodiversity, with new anniversary woodland and a wildflower meadow to create habitats for a wide range of species, including bees. Bird boxes will be provided for birds such as blue tits and sparrows, along with bat boxes. Two log piles will provide a daytime shelter for amphibians, and hedgehog highways (small holes in the base of fences) will create thoroughfares to enable hedgehogs to roam freely.  

Gloucester-based Newland Homes has recently celebrated its thirtieth year in operation, and Chapmanslade is one of two locations in the South West where the company is planting an 'anniversary woodland'. These will be created using dense, fast-growing native woodland which store carbon, improve air quality, provide a haven for wildlife and a place for people to connect with nature. 

Newland Homes has three developments currently underway in Wiltshire and the company was the first traditional housebuilder in the UK to sign the United Nations Climate Neutral Now Pledge, which is a commitment to measure greenhouse gas emissions, implements means to reduce them, to consider offsetting and to report progress annually.

12 of the 43 homes at Honey Glade will be affordable, low carbon homes provided by Selwood Housing, a not-for-profit housing association. 

To book a tailor-made appointment of the homes available at Honey Glade in Chapmanslade please call 01452 623000. Prices start from £375,000. Tailor-made appointments are available daily, between 11am and 5pm.  For further information visit www.newlandhomes.co.uk/chapmanslade or follow Newland Homes on social media @newlandhomes