Homes designed to need as little heating and cooling as possible in a development aiming to foster community amongst residents have been unveiled ahead of them going on the market.

Thursday, 4 September 2025 14:44

By Joe Gerrard

York Council officials and others involved with the Duncombe Square development, in Burton Stone Lane off Bootham, looked around the homes ahead of sales starting on Friday, September 12.

Henry Wootton, of architects Mikhail Riches who designed Duncombe Square, said a sense on community was central while its Passivhaus homes would be healthier and keep bills down.

The council’s Labour administration’s housing spokesperson Cllr Michael Pavlovic said the scheme is part of one of the largest of its kind nationally, with more to come in York.

The upcoming sale of the homes comes after planning permission was first granted in 2021 and building began in 2022 under the council’s previous Liberal Democrat and Green coalition administration.

Officials and others involved in the project were given a first look on Wednesday, September 3.

Duncombe Square is made up of 23 terraced houses ranging in size from two to four bedrooms, along with 11 one-bed apartments.

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