Waitakere backs eco village

Earthsong homes have lower living costs through better insulation and solar power. Picture / Dean Purcell

The Waitakere City Council is granting a $300,000 interest-free loan to promoters of the country's "first eco village" to build a meeting house.

The Earthsong Neighbourhood was established two years ago in Swanson Rd, Ranui, with 17 rammed earth and timber terraced houses and apartments with common grounds.

Now, with 45 residents and the 24th house nearing completion, the group wants a social centre and dining room. It also needs somewhere to hold seminars to cater for a growing number of people who are interested in eco-friendly and co-operative housing.

A centre costing $1 million is planned and the city council's finance committee this week approved the $300,000 loan to supplement the group's fundraising.

The interest expense to ratepayers is about $80,000 during the five-year term of the loan.

The council uses Earthsong Neighbourhood as a showcase of sustainable development and last year sent 300 staff to sample the city's "eco vision" of water and energy conservation and building strong communities.

"We've always been impressed by this remarkable organisation and what they are attempting to do," said Mayor Bob Harvey.

Earthsong was a classy, sophisticated and sustainable development with an interesting group of residents. "If anyone thinks this is a bunch of hippies they can think again," he said.

The group could not raise a normal mortgage for the centre because it is built on common ground owned by the Earthsong body corporate.

Earthsong development co-ordinator and founding member Robin Allison said residents put up their own homes as security for the council loan.

"The council has very good security they can call on if there are any problems," she said.

The loan would be repaid through the proceeds of sales of new homes in the development, which would eventually have 32 houses.

Residents paid towards the cost of the centre when they bought a home.

The last sale fetched $391,000.

Robin Allison said the centre would be run by a trust which would make it available to other citizens for community and cultural gatherings.

Public open days were held frequently and visiting groups were charged $10 a head.

The 1.7ha site used to be an organic fruit orchard.

Homes are connected to municipal power and water supplies but the site is designed to absorb its stormwater.

Robin Allison said the community had shown lower living costs through an environmentally friendly house design, including efficient insulation and solar water heating.

Household power bills were $30 a month and rainwater tanks meant the water bill was for drinking water only.

The site was also designed to better use living space, with no fences between homes.

Cars were left at the entrance and footpaths between the blocks of houses led to more social contact than in a conventional street.

Residents felt safe and shared three meals a week, as well as having meetings, working bees and car pooling.

Mr Harvey said the council had a policy of allowing loans and guarantees to organisations working for community benefit such as sports clubs and schools. 

 
LIFE AT EARTHSONG

* Solar power and rainwater tanks

* No fences between homes

* Cars left at the gate

* Shared meal three times a week