Farming Today

Farming Today This Week: Rural Housing

Farming Today

Steffan Messenger visits a solar housing project in Pembrokeshire which provides affordable housing for its occupant. At Ty Solar, the prototype property in Rhosygilwen he meets Glen Peters, the Chief Executive of the company behind the build and discovers that it was Glen's early years living in England that helped shape his determination to lift people out of energy poverty and develop affordable accommodation. They discuss the financial and logistical challenges of developing this type of property within existing planning laws, before moving onto the building site of a new development to look at exactly what goes into the homes themselves. With much of the building materials sourced locally and constructed by firms within the area this is a three-fold approach to address energy use in homes, the disparity between wages and property prices, and a lack of skilled local labour. It's no wonder then that as Housing Associations take increasing interest in Glen's work, that the vision he outlines to Steffan for the future is both bold and ambitious. Producer: Toby Field.

Next Episodes