Selwyn Street, Coppice, Oldham

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Selwyn Street, a part of the Oldham Rochdale Housing Market Pathfinder Project, demonstrates how environmental principles can be applied to smaller sites. A development of 18 new terraced homes, the layout of the site and architecture seek to modify their microclimate.

Terraces are formed to avoid overshadowing in rear gardens. Monopitched roofs are designed to face southeast, perpendicular to the main orientation of the buildings, to maximize the potential of attached solar panels. The solar thermal panels are connected directly to all hot water tanks, which are topped up by condensing gas boilers when required. It is estimated that this will provide 90% of hot water in summer and 60% in winter, reducing average energy bills by up to 60%.

Wind turbines have been positioned on roofs of higher houses and provide up to 1kw of power. Water butts are installed in back gardens for rainwater collection.

Selwyn Street has also successfully adapted the street pattern of the 19th century and addressed the changing demographics of the area by replacing houses and flats built in the mid 1980s with larger family homes. It has effectively reversed problems of accessibility, security and low rate of rentals faced by the area.

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Selwyn Street.