UK: Developer Verto has been granted planning permission for what is says is “the world’s first zero-carbon student community” in Falmouth.
The Halo Village scheme will provide accommodation for more than 1,800 students.
Falmouth’s student population has seen rapid growth, particularly at the Tremough Campus in Penryn, shared by both Exeter and Falmouth universities. This surge has placed significant pressure on the local housing market, with Falmouth now having over five times more Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) than any other town in Cornwall. The problem is set to intensify, as the universities are targeting ambitious expansion by 2030.
The Halo Village project will provide 1,858 beds across 42 clustered apartment blocks, with 273 bed spaces within 25 townhouses; and 97 wheelchair-accessible units.
Halo Village will offer amenities for both students and local residents. In addition to housing, the development will feature a new doctor’s surgery, leisure facilities, innovation and business start-up units; a pub, restaurant, café, and hot food takeaway; a children’s day nursery; retail units; and a budget hotel with 48 beds.
The village will also be equipped with sustainable transport infrastructure, including ample parking spaces, EV chargers and a ‘Park and Change’ facility for daily commuters.
The entire project is designed to be zero-carbon, both in terms of operational and embodied carbon. This means that once completed, the development will not only operate without contributing to carbon emissions but will also offset any emissions produced during its construction.
Verto has collaborated with Cornwall Council and expert ecologists to ensure that the development also enhances local biodiversity. The project will create a net gain in habitats of over 35 per cent, demonstrating a commitment to preserving and enhancing the local environment.
Andy West, head of land and planning at Verto, said: “I am hugely proud that we have achieved consent for such a groundbreaking and revolutionary development. I hope that the Halo Village scheme acts as a catalyst to change the way major development projects are delivered in the UK, and proves that zero carbon development is not only achievable but necessary to address the climate crisis.”
