Hockerton Housing Project

The Hockerton Housing Project is the UK's first earth sheltered, self-sufficient ecological housing development. Project members live a holistic way of life in harmony with the environment, in which all ecological impacts have been considered and accounted for.

The residents of the five houses generate their own clean energy, harvest their own water and recycle waste materials causing no pollution or carbon dioxide emissions. The houses are amongst the most energy efficient, purpose built dwellings in Europe.

Since the completion of the houses in 1998 Hockerton Housing Project has established itself as an exemplar of sustainable development locally and nationally, providing a unique 'real-life' experience of living sustainably. This has resulted in the development of a range of services through the creation of a small on-site business, HHP Trading Ltd.

These services include:

- Guided tours
- Workshops
- HHP Master Classes
- Consultancy services
- School education visits
- Talks
- Publication of sustainable guides
- Venue for meetings & workshops

The HHP workers? not-for-profit co-operative provides employment for its members, whilst promoting sustainable development. The business was originally set up to in response to concerns by the planning authority when considering the application for the project, who were worried about sustainability claims and in particular transport issues. They wanted the application to define clearer ways of ensuring that occupants would have employment opportunities on site or nearby, thereby reducing the need to travel. Therefore a cooperative company, Hockerton Housing Project Trading Ltd, was established in 1996.