A substantial green housing development, of 208 homes in South Cambridge has been given the planning go-ahead by Cambridge City Council. The Virido development will consist entirely of zero-carbon homes, ranging from one-bedroom flats to four-bedroom houses.

A joint venture between Cambridge City Council and housebuilder Hill, this will be one of the largest carbon-neutral developments in the country.

Half of the homes built will be managed by the city council, and the other 104 sold through Hill. Construction will begin this year.

Executive councillor for housing Kevin Price said: “I am delighted that this project has passed the key milestone of planning approval. The council has always intended to demonstrate that we can lead quality new-build housing projects that set standards in terms of energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. I congratulate Hill and their design team in rising to this challenge and I look forward to the completion of the new housing that will benefit people from all walks of life.”

The houses will be made from sustainable materials and will include features such as triple glazed windows, water efficient appliances and development-wide rainwater harvesting.

They will have a ventilation system known as MVHR, which uses warm air from rooms such as the kitchen and bathroom to heat other parts of the house, keeping the temperature consistent.

The development will also have a lot of green spaces, green roofs, ponds and trees.

Deputy managing director at Hill, Rob Hall, said: “This is a landmark site for us as a developer but also for Cambridge.

“It underlines the city as one of the UK’s innovation and technology hubs at the forefront of the sustainability agenda, and we are delighted to have been entrusted by the council to develop this important project.”

The new eco homes will form part of Great Kneighton, a development three miles south of Cambridge city centre which will provide 2,300 homes between Trumpington and Addenbrooke’s.

Hill has recently finished building two prototype homes which have many of the same sustainable features as the new development.

Two families will be living in these homes over the coming year. One of these families, Dave and Lorna Rayner from Burwell and their three children, Harry, Ebony and Orla Rose, moved in this month after winning a competition launched by the News late last year.

Over the coming year, graduate student at Leeds Beckett University Alexander Rice will monitor factors like air quality and temperature in the home using sensors and will have monthly interviews with the family about living there.

Hill hopes to use the information Mr Rice learns to perfect the houses on the Virido development.