RESIDENTS in Cononley have doubts about claims made by CurveBlock about its new housing development in Cononley (“New homes in Cononley could help UK meet Net Zero targets”, Craven Herald, May 3 and online).

CurveBlock, which describes itself as a “centralised digital financial inclusion platform” is the main backer with Calvert Homes of the development of 25 homes in Cononley between Meadow Croft and Moorfoot Lane.

The developers imply that the development can provide an ‘innovative solution’ to meeting the UK’s need for “good quality, carbon zero, energy positive homes, which will help the UK meet its net-zero targets, reducing energy consumption and tackling fuel poverty”.

If CurveBlock is as carbon neutral as it claims to be why is it that it is building homes on a site of this vast scale without installing a ground sourced heat pump that provides the cheapest and most carbon efficient form of heating for a project of this size?

If the developer is so committed to working on behalf of the community why is it that not a single affordable house will be built? It claims it cannot afford this yet in its pitch to investors it is promising margins of up to 20 per cent and a margin of £2.3 million on the development.

Given the developer’s contention that it is offering ‘innovative solutions’ to building new homes, why did it not choose to drill the foundation holes and fill them with concrete?. The noise of the hammering and vibration from the piling has been intolerable.

Contractors I spoke to say they use the drilling method of embedding foundations in “close-knit residential areas” to minimise vibration and noise.

CurveBlock has been quick to address the financial and business-to-business media, but has woefully neglected to communicate to Cononley residents who are key community stakeholders in their development.

If CurveBlock wants to be seen as an environmental and community friendly developer of homes in Cononley it should have the decency to meet and address residents’ continuing concerns about the development.

Robert Minton-Taylor

Cononley

 

In response, a spokesperson for Calvert Homes said: " Although Calvert Homes is an investor in CurveBlock, this is a Calvert Homes site that is allowing CurveBlock some dual branding along with a small proportion of ownership. All questions asked here have previously been addressed by the site owner, Calvert Homes, who is delivering the project in accordance with its planning requirements.”