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From houses to homes

New-build houses in Fairford are all now let

The sun rising over Fiennes Court, with all five homes let to new tenants

Car ports featuring roof-mounted solar panels helped Fiennes Court achieve the highest energy efficient standards

Our development of new homes built to meet the highest standards of energy efficiency, including high levels of insulation, air source heat pumps and solar panels have been successfully let.

The five two- and three-bedroom homes at Fiennes Court, Waiten Hill, Fairford, were designed in the style of existing Cotswold buildings and faced with natural stone.

Chris, the Trust’s Maintenance & Construction Manager, oversaw the project on a former paddock at Waiten Hill Farm belonging to The Ernest Cook Trust. He said:

There is significant demand for smaller homes to rent – we could have let these many times over.

The decision was taken to retain the homes and offer them for rent, rather than for sale, helping to meet demand for rental property in the area. As high-quality new builds, they all exceed current regulations for energy efficiency, a major consideration for rural landlords.

Older rural buildings, particularly those that are listed, are difficult to upgrade to meet modern energy efficiency standards, making new builds an attractive option for the rental market. The rental income from these properties, as well as the Trust’s existing portfolio of 160+ residential properties, will help to fund The Ernest Cook Trust’s charitable object of education, providing Outdoor Learning opportunities for children and young people.

The properties at Fiennes Court, each with a carport, have the highest Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of ‘A.’  Chris is confident they have been future proofed to continue to meet energy efficiency requirements as regulations are updated.

The solar PV on the car-port roofs provide 2 kilowatts of energy for each property. Chris said that it may be possible to install batteries, at a later date, to store electricity generated by the solar panels.

Work on the building of Fiennes Court was interrupted by the COVID pandemic and took three years from start to finish, but around 12 months of actual build time. Building contractors from Fairford and Highworth, near Swindon, carried out the construction, with an expert from West Oxfordshire carrying out the stone walling.

The development was named Fiennes Court in memory of the late Nathaniel Fiennes, 21st Baron Saye and Sele, a former Chair of Trustees who served The Ernest Cook Trust for many years. He sadly died in January 2024 at the age of 103.