A pioneering estate of executive eco-homes is being built in Kent.

The 15 Kentish “barn-style” houses are designed around an old-fashioned hamlet and are in the former grounds of the Grade II-listed Scocles Court manor house in Scocles Road, Minster.

They use state-of-the-art Swedish-German technology claimed to slash running costs by up to 80%.

Every one comes with its own air purifier and charging terminal for electric cars.

They have an internal core of super-insulated pre-formed blocks from Canada, filled with concrete and clad with specially-treated timber to keep the homes warm in winter and cool in summer. Experts say the homes can last for centuries.

But they aren’t cheap. The smallest terraced homes start at £525,000 and the most expensive detached homes are around £800,000.

A spokesman for the developers said: “These are pioneering ‘passive’ homes, the highest voluntary standard of ecological building in the world. One could argue it’s a luxury, premium development but, for us, it’s how every housing scheme should be.

“Everything about the houses would normally be the preserve of millionaires but these are now available to normal, hard-working families. These features should be standard for every house. They have large rooms, compared to many other homes, our gardens are up to twice the size of others and the density is half that of similar sites.

“We have retained the pond and the natural undulations and will have an outdoor gym, walking tracks, picnic area with benches, tree-lined roads and 100 LED lights on site. It will be an absolutely beautiful experience and lifestyle.”

He added: “There are so many ‘wow’ factors I don’t know where to start. We have floor-to-ceiling triple-glazed windows. People should have lots of natural light. They shouldn’t live in dark, dingy boxes.

“All our homes have purified air, car charging points, pre-fitted alarms, a smart system to control heating and lighting remotely and to monitor the doorbell, pre-installed sockets for TV and telephones and hand-crafted kitchens with marble worktops from India. I am very proud of them.”

Why Sheppey?

Sheppey might not be everyone’s first choice for a multi-million pound eco-home development but the developer says “it just clicked.”

He said: “It is a complete accident we are here. My mother, who I think of as my lucky star, found the plot four years ago.

“I didn’t know anything about the Island but drove down to have a look.

“There are all sorts of misconceptions about Sheppey but it is a very pretty place with fields, open spaces and clean air. And the people are lovely. I quickly fell in love with it. It also has great connectivity to London and other towns. It just clicked. The manor house was also very charming and we felt good about bringing it back to life. Other developers were frightened off by it but my mother ordered me to bring it back to life.

“Hopefully, we are adding great value here, not just to the Island but to the region and maybe the country?”

The Scocles Court development is to be the first of many. It is part of a three-year £20 million programme of sustainable housing across the rest of the country.