What is it that ticks your boxes when you are searching for a new home? Lots of space? Period features? A good location? We all have our list of requirements, but if ‘environmentally friendly’ is top of your list, then you may want to check out the property at Wester Happrew Steading, By Peebles.
Sustainability remains a key global focus, and the demand for properties with eco credentials shows no sign of waning. The government is tackling climate change head on and aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 68 per cent by the end of the decade, with a target of net zero emissions by 2050. In housing terms, this means improving energy efficiency in the nation’s 27 million existing homes, and ensuring that new-builds adhere to the Future Homes Standard.
Wester Happrew Steading has undoubtedly been built with eco credentials in mind. We chatted to the owners, Callum and Dorothy Orr and found out what their motivation for building the property was; and how the idea came about:
“We were living and working in Loughborough, Leicestershire but always planned to retire to Scotland. We had thought about buying an old property to ‘do up’ although we certainly didn’t ever plan to take on such a massive project. In the summer of 2018, we were heading towards Peebles to look at a house when we spotted a sign which simply read “steading development” with a phone number. We did a U turn and headed up a country lane which opened onto a set of derelict steading buildings. It was very overgrown - there were even trees growing out of the walls and there was junk everywhere. However, the views were stunning and it wasn’t hard to imagine how brilliant it could be if skilfully renovated. Within weeks, we had had bought it and were starting to plan”
The process of obtaining planning permission is never a straightforward one, but even less so for the current owners:
“Planning permission did take a long time, but in the early stages, most work was clearance and groundworks so we were able to press on. Fairly soon after we started actual building, the Covid pandemic happened, we had to go back to Loughborough and everything ground to a very quick stop. Once building resumed, progress was inevitably slow given that most of the work was being done by just two or three people and we did notice a sharp increase in the price of materials and a lengthening of lead times for bigger items”
Owners, Callum & Dorothy Orr’s intention was to build an energy efficient house for the twenty first century, but nonetheless, they were keen to renovate with minimal changes to the original layout. Doors and window positions were retained and the new oak staircase was installed in exactly the same place as the original.
In 2019, when this project started, energy efficiency was, for Callum and Dorothy, an important consideration and they were keen to maximise the use of new technologies. “Perhaps back then, we didn’t appreciate just how crucial the decisions we made would become. Now in 2023, increasing awareness of the global climate emergency and the various factors which have resulted in large increases in energy prices have demonstrated that every new house should be built to similar standards with adequate insulation, renewable energy generation and use of heat pumps or similar”
“In renovating the steading, we retained all the original stone walls if they were not beyond repair but beyond that, this is essentially a new build, thus allowing us to install everything required for maximum electricity generation and heat retention. The floors, walls, ceilings and roof are all packed with modern high quality insulation, the windows are triple glazed and there are solar panels with batteries to harness the power in the most efficient ways. We were able to take out interest free loans for the panels and batteries
There is also a ground source heat pump with 450 metres of heat collection pipes running a metre below ground level. The Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) grant is paid for 7 years after installation of the system and generates around £3000 per year which will more than repay the initial costs. The RHI goes with the house, so the new owners will be the beneficiaries of these payments”
Not only is the steading unique, the land that the property is built on has fascinating history. There is a prehistoric hill fort next door and a Roman camp along the road. In 1304, William Wallace and Robert the Bruce fought on opposing sides in the Battle of Happrew. The actual steading was built around 1846 (the date is carved into a stone at the property) but the land had been farmed for centuries before that. The part of the steading which now forms the house was originally a granary. There is an underground chamber which once housed a large waterwheel, used to turn the grindstones and there are floor level windows on the first floor where the grain and flour would have been handled in and out.
Callum & Dorothy are working on the second phase of the project in the adjoining steading, so they are grateful that they will still be able to enjoy the wonderful features of the location after the sale of the property. The Steading is part of a tiny settlement of 5 houses (soon to be 6 when phase 2 is completed!) and with it only being 6 miles west of Peebles and 20 miles south of Edinburgh it really is an appealing location for many.
For further information on Wester Happrew Steading, visit our website or contact our Estate Agency team on:
01721 721515
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