Young designer's eco-house unveiled

Buy photos » Michelle Johnson and Simon Clements - who will be moving in to the Jenny House, with RCH director Carl Taylor and teenage designer Jennifer Brook. (s)

AN ECO-HOUSE of the future designed by a ten-year-old has been unveiled in Church Hill.

Jennifer Brook, now aged 15, got the chance to see the design she drew as part of a homework project brought to life for the first time on Friday (February 1).

The Rugby teen's two bedroom property includes solar panels, light sensors in every room to save electricity and a wildlife garden with edible plants. But her vision of the residents using an exercise bike to power the television was unfortunately not possible to incorporate.

Chosen by David Bellamy as part of a regional Matrix Housing Partnership competition, the 'Jenny House' forms part of the £8 million, 79 home timber frame housing development on the former Marlfield Farm First School site being built by Redditch Co-operative Homes (RCH) in partnership with Mansell.

Jennifer told the Standard: "It was fairly easy to come up with the design. I walked around my own house and got ideas from each room. I really enjoyed doing it and was very surprised to win. It's really cool to come today and see the house."

Her mother Riannah added: "I am very proud. She always does well in everything she attempts. It's very exciting to have a look at the house."

RCH director Carl Taylor said the company was 'really pleased' to have made the eco-home dream a reality.

"Although we haven't been able to incorporate an exercise bike to power a television as she originally envisioned, we have been able to make the home incredibly low carbon and sustainable, which in turn will help the family who lives in it to save money on their energy bills."

Webheath couple Michelle Johnson and Simon Clements, who are set to move in to the 'Jenny House' this spring, also got the chance to view it for the first time. The home was so popular with potential occupiers, a draw was done to decide who would move in.

Michelle said it was the house 'everybody wanted' and the pair were excited to be moving there.

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