Articles
The park development has caused quite a lot of
interest in the local press and also in national magazines.
Please double-click the link below to play an mp3
version of our advert on
Write up in Practical Moterhome
magazine September 2011
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The following article was from the
The houses made from plastic cups and tin cans
By Fiona Thompson
The world's first eco-village was unveiled today at a Wearside caravan park.
The
homes at
Extrudawood made from recycled polystyrene cups and
packaging and drinks and food cans has been used to make the homes. And they
can withstand the foulest weather and meet required safety standards.
While councils, restaurants and supermarkets have already used it in fixtures
and outdoor furniture, what will be now known as Finchale Village is the only
place where the material has been used to build houses – the recycled plastic
and metal mix has been moulded and coloured to look like wood.
The homes are styled to look like log lodges and
designed to the owners' specification, and range in price from £110,000 up to
£180,000.
Almost half the existing plots in the park have been taken up by people from
Sunderland and the Chester-le-Street area, with many selling their homes as
they downsize and look for somewhere to lead a quieter life or buy a second
home.
The site, which stands in the shadow of Finchale Abbey and on the banks of the
Wear, has marketed the eco-village for the retired and semi-retired over the
age of 45. No children are allowed to live on site.
Directors of the caravan park, Eric Welsh, 61, and sister
Ann Watson, 55, took over the business in 1994 when their parents Eric, now 86,
and his late wife Charlotte, retired. The family has owned the caravan park
since 1951 and the company continues to be a family affair.
Eric's sons Peter, 35, and Michael, 30, Ann's daughters Charlotte, 17, Suzie,
24 and Zoe McDonald, 28, and their cousin Irene Black, 49, her daughter Sarah,
16, are all involved in running the company.
In 2003 Eric and Ann were told 90 static caravans on the site were no longer
suitable, giving them the opportunity to make changes.
The first phase of 17 plots was started two years ago, with a further 17
already sold in the second section. More will come with the third phase as
another part of the site used for static caravans is revamped, with up to 70
homes to be built in total.
Ann, who was born on the park, said: "Retired and semi-retired people want
to get out of the rat race and be in an idyllic place. They can just sit
peacefully and listen to the birds." Ann believes the village, which was
officially opened by environmentalist David Bellamy today, is popular with Wearsiders.
Sales consultant Bill Stephenson said: "In factory fortnight, years ago,
in the shipping community, this was a holiday place for them.
"People
know Finchale and have spent many happy times here. Coming here brings those
memories back."
Among the 60 residents in the lodges is Nora Sowerby,
who lived in
Nora,
69, said: "My husband died and I was looking for some peace and quiet and
a serene lifestyle. From the moment I came in through the barrier for the first
time I didn't need to look any further. It couldn't be better. It suits me and
there is such a circle of support and friends, it's such a friendly
community."
Neighbours Eileen and Geoff Hodgkiss,
both 63, who sold their home in
Geoff,
a retired butcher, said: "It's a nice place to live and relax. We thought
that in the next 10 years we wouldn't want a big garden and things like that.
We have that here."
Eileen
added: "It's the best thing we've ever done at this time in our
lives."
Eco-home scores with former SAFC player
Norman
Former
The
wing half, who played for the club during the 1954-55 season after he was taken
on from Silksworth Colliery, has lived in Finchale
Abbey's eco-village with wife Gillian for the last 18 months.
The
couple moved back to the North East to be closer to daughter Erica, 39and her
three sons, and their son Graeme, 46, after living near
They were able to design their own home to suit their needs, which was
especially important for
His footballing career came to an end when he damaged
a cruciate ligament and he now uses a wheelchair
after knee replacements and a series of infections.
The couple, originally from Barnes,
Norman,
who got a £10 signing on fee when he moved to Sunderland AFC and appears in the
Roll of Honour in the Stadium of Light, said:
"We're self contained, but close to the infrastructure.
"Our
family was all for it."
Gillian,
whose sister Olwyn Kennedy moved next door after she
saw their home, said: "We wanted a smaller home and to be nearer our
daughter and my husband goes to hospital in
"We
had a lot of choice here. We made friends straight away and my sister was an
added bonus.”
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From the BBC News website 7th June 2007
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Eco-village
gets Bellamy blessing |
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An
eco-village constructed from recycled packaging in The Finchale Abbey development near The homes are constructed from plastic waste converted into a
product that looks and feels like wood. Professor Bellamy said it is the greenest holiday park he
knows of. The material used to build the homes acts and
feels like wood but does not rot. A spokesman for the manufacturer Extrudawood
said: "It has the potential of using vast quantities of waste packaging
materials." The final phase of the development is now complete and a
spokeswoman for the Finchale Abbey development the community was growing all
the time. ********************************************************************************* The
following article was from the Eco-homes win praise from Mr green Environmentalist David Bellamy has given his approval to the
world's first eco-village.
Extrudawood is
made out of recycled polystyrene from packaging and containers, but can
withstand the toughest of conditions. The park, which has
been owned by the same family since 1951, has used the thermoplastic to build
log cabin-style homes to create a village for the over 45s. Mr Bellamy, who lives
in County Durham, spoke to the group about the benefits of using Extrudawood and also presented children from St Godric's
Primary School with birdboxes made from it for
their grounds. Ann Watson, 55, who is
a director of the caravan park alongside her brother Eric Welsh, 61, said:
"The launch went very well. The councils have all gone
away knowing the different aspects of this material and we will see
how they use it in their own areas. "We are very
happy to be the first village in the world to use this."
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The following article was from the October 2006
edition of Park Home & Holiday Caravan Magazine and two of our residents
Mr. and Mrs. Sibley even made the front cover!
Bright summer sunshine welcomed a large crowd of
visitors to Finchale Abbey Farm Park recently, for a special open day
highlighting the latest developments which have occurred at this fascinating
eco village, located beside the River Wear in Durham.
The event, supported by Extrudawood Ltd, and presided
over by popular conservationist Professor David Bellamy, gave guests a unique
opportunity to learn more about the park which has evolved from a traditional
caravan site into one of the country’s most environmentally aware residential
estates.
David Bellamy with park owners, Eric
Welsh and Ann Watson
Currently, owners Eric Welsh and Ann Watson, are
currently working hard to complete the final phase of the project, which will
eventually see 52 lodge style properties installed in this gloriously rural
setting adjacent to a ruined Benedictine Abbey.
It’s planned that all new homes will be manufactured
from Extrudawood, a revolutionary thermoplastic composite material that
strongly resembles traditional timber, without any of the inherent maintenance
requirements.
During the open day visitors toured the site which
covers just over six acres and heard Professor Bellamy extol the virtues of
this new material, which is sure to become increasingly important in a whole
range of applications. It does not
shrink or warp and is highly resistant to ultra violet rays, fungi, termites
and insects, making it perfect for use in countries where these problems exist.
Historically, the park has been in the same family for
55 years, yet it was only in recent times that the two owners embarked on an
extensive upgrading programme,
designed to breathe new life into this popular location.
All the original caravans were gradually removed and
bases for more modern park homes put in place.
Utility services have been installed and a considerable amount of
landscaping has transformed the appearance of the park beyond all recognition.
The new homes are creating a good deal of interest and
residents can select any interior design provided the exterior is made of
Extrudawood.
“A glorious rural setting adjacent to a ruined Benedictine abbey.”
Facilities on the park are exceptional, with well
surfaced roads linking all communal thoroughfares. Each home has parking space for one or two
cars and open plan gardens surround each property for those who love the
outdoor life. Decking, also made from
Extrudawood, is installed, giving even greater convenience and additional space
for family parties and other social gatherings.
LOCAL CELEBRITIES
At the moment there are 10 fully serviced homes on the
park, with a small community of residents relishing the delights which they
have discovered at Finchale, all of whom attended the open day and took great
pride in being involved in the event, which featured on local television, with
a crew from Tyne Tees interviewing Mr and Mrs Storey who became the first
residents of St Godric’s Walk back in March 2005.
Mr and Mrs Wood were also enjoying the new way of
life, with a move to Finchale Abbey and are now delighted to be living in this
location. They moved to their bespoke
lodge in November after many years in a small village near Richmond in North
Yorkshire. The couple, were looking to down size somewhat, finding that their
three bed bungalow was simply too large for the two of them. It was also surrounded by a huge garden and
although Gillian Wood thoroughly enjoys gardening it was rather time consuming
and too large for her to manage.
Curiously, the couple knew nothing about park home
living and it was only by chance that they read a feature highlighting the
redevelopment of Finchale Abbey in the local paper that they visited the
site. Ultimately, after scrutinising the park for themselves they realised that this type of lifestyle suited them
both and within a matter of weeks their former home was on the market, selling
to the first person who viewed the property hastening a move to Finchale.
Gillian and Norman Wood helped design their home.
Norman Wood explained “We couldn’t believe how quickly
things happened in the run up to our move to Finchale. Our previous home sold very quickly and
unfortunately our new property was not complete on the due date, with the
result that we had to spend a few days with our daughter, but this was not a
major problem for us.”
Before retiring Mr Wood worked as a primary school
teacher and Gillian was a hospital administrator, employed in the local A&E
Unit.
A TAILOR MADE HOME
Like many residents Mr and Mrs Wood visited the Lodge
construction factory to assist with the overall design of their home. They found the staff very helpful, even down
to making some major structural changes to the property. The couple also elected to have one of the
bedrooms converted into a utility room, which gave them some additional space
and the opportunity to have wider doorways accommodating the wheelchair which
Mr Wood has to use.
Naturally living on one level has also proved
beneficial from this point of view and using the wheelchair around the property
has not presented any major obstacles.
However, he does feel slightly uncomfortable about using his wheelchair
on some of the roads around the park, which results in travelling rather faster than he would like!
Mr and Mrs Wood are both enjoying the peace and tranquillity of the park and find the location on
the outskirts of Durham very convenient for all local facilities. The nearby Arnison Centre, a large shopping
complex, has all the leading high street names and the excellent road network
makes travelling around the country a real pleasure.
Historic Durham is a thriving, vibrant
city.
Since moving to Finchale Mrs Wood has enjoyed two
Sunday services in the abbey grounds which were very memorable events and
unlike more traditional services. The
open air, birds singing and the rush of the nearby river just adding to the
overall atmosphere.
She has also witnessed two full immersion baptisms
taking place in the River Wear which skirts around the perimeter of the
park. She would like to attend further
such events at the abbey, indeed it has been suggested that an open air carol
service at Christmas might be staged in December, which would make a wonderful
spectacle if the grounds of the abbey were covered with a light dusting of
snow.
Mr and Mrs Wood are now both converted to the park
home living and would recommend Finchale Abbey to those considering a change of
address, so much so that Mrs Wood is trying to persuade her sister to consider
moving to the park.
Speaking at the open day Professor Bellamy, who first
came to Finchale Abbey as a young student back in 1959, explained how he was
initially introduced to the Extrudawood process which basically utilises waste polystyrene to produce a timber
like material that requires very little maintenance. Yet has far reaching implications for the
conservation of natural resources such as water, oil and fossil fuels.
He was keen to stress the reusable properties of
Extrudawood which can be reground and used to produce new products. Hence, a park home owner who is dissatisfied
with the design of his home can have it reengineered and made into a new property.
Professor Bellamy described the use of Extrudawood for
the building of park homes and other properties as the beginning of the future,
sustainability and conservation being the watchwords of this new industry.
Guests took to
see for themselves the standard of workmanship which is such a characteristic
of the development. All the bases are
now in place awaiting the arrival of new homes which will be installed in the
ensuing months. Each home has the full range of utility services, with piped
gas being supplied from large on-site storage tanks, there is therefore no
necessity for residents to be constantly changing gas bottles during the
coldest days of winter when consumption is at a peak.
“To give the park its own unique identity three separate residential
districts have been created.”
In an attempt to give the park its own unique identity
three separate residential districts have been created, St Godric’s Walk, St
Cuthbert’s View and St Bede’s Close all of which have links with the local
abbey and religious order that occupied this marvellous place, now regarded as one of the districts best kept
secrets.
Interestingly, the priory was once used as a holiday
retreat by monks from the city of Durham who came here to recover from the
stresses and strains of their normal existence in the nearby city. They were normally accommodated in very
comfortable surroundings, enjoying a more relaxed existence while staying in
this tranquil oasis.
Durham Cathedral attracts the crowds all
year round.
Alan and Elizabeth Sibley who arrived at Finchale
Abbey in March this year were also enjoying the new way of life and settling in
to their new Stirling lodge sited in a quiet corner of the park with dramatic
views down the valley towards the abbey.
Mr and Mrs Sibley were originally looking to buy a
bungalow after their children had all left home, unfortunately they couldn’t
find anything that they liked the look of,
despite scrutinising
a vast number of properties. However, they eventually discovered Finchale
Abbey and realised immediately that this was the place for them.
The couple, who come from nearby Pity Me, a matter of
2 miles up the road from Finchale, had visited the abbey many years ago but
were surprised to see the redevelopment of the park where they now live.
A
DIFFERENT WAY OF LIFE
Mr Sibley said, “It’s a totally different way of life
and absolutely wonderful. I’m retired
and my wife works fulltime to keep me in the style to which I’ve become
accustomed,” he jokes. “We are in the ideal spot to obtain the maximum amount
of sunshine which gradually moves around our home during the course of the
day.”
Alan and Elizabeth Sibley owned a
caravan before they moved to Finchale
The couple already had a static caravan and were
therefore familiar with park homes.
Additionally, a friend of theirs also owns such a property so it was not
so strange that they would eventually end up living at Finchale.
Both Mr and Mrs Sibley are highly satisfied with their
new home and found it large enough for all their possessions. They were keen to bring some of their own
furniture with them, and were concerned about the possible lack of space. They need not have worried though as the home
is as large as a traditional bungalow.
Mr Sibley explained, “There are some people who would
never consider moving from bricks and mortar, but we absolutely love it. And our friends who live in a park home have
similar views. We are in the heart of
the beautiful countryside and we’ve got a lifestyle that we would never be able
to afford. A conventional bungalow in
this setting would probably cost upwards of a £1m.”
“It’s a totally different way of life and absolutely wonderful.”
Technically, their move to Finchale Abbey went without
a hitch and Mr Sibley in particular was convinced that something must surely go
wrong. Fortunately, his predictions
never came true and moving from Pity Me worked like clock work. They didn’t
even have to change their telephone number which must say something about the
level of organisation that
they had put in before hand.
Before retiring Alan worked as a driver/courier for the
coach company Northern Voyager which he greatly enjoyed, while Elizabeth is
still employed and works with young disadvantaged adults. In any spare moments
the couple have a number of hobbies to keep them busy. They also like to go travelling whenever possible. They have relatives in Canada and are
planning a trip across the water within the near future, safe in the knowledge
that their home at Finchale will be perfectly secure, with resident security
staff keeping a watchful eye on the property.
Since moving to the park they have really settled into
the social scene which is developing on the park, with cheese and wine parties
and a whole host of other social gathering regularly taking place among the
resident population.
At the moment pitch fees for a luxury home at Finchale
Abbey Farm Park are charged at £174 per month, which is inclusive of water
rates and sewerage charges. All homes
fall into Band A for council tax purposes and pets are allowed to live on the development. The park is designed to appeal to the over 50
age group, with no resident children.
However, grandchildren and other young relatives are perfectly at
liberty to stay for holidays and so on.
SETTING HIGH STANDARDS
As the open day concluded it cannot be denied that Ann
Watson and Eric Welsh are setting very high standards for the redevelopment of
the park. They have, where possible,
used the most environmentally advanced techniques protecting the local flora
and fauna. Much remains to do with bases
now in place for the immediate installation of new park homes. Premium positions overlooking the abbey are
also available and these offer stunning views of the surrounding neighbourhood.
Looking at the park today it’s incredible to think
that a major transformation has occurred in such a short space of time. New
Lodges constructed from Extrudawood blend sympathetically with the
natural environment. The landscaping
which has occurred further enhancing this wonderfully tranquil setting. Potential residents should visit the park and
see it for themselves.
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From Durham City News August/September 2006
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The following article was from the Northern Echo
Wednesday June 14th 2006
RECYCLED HOMES
Green
Breakthrough: From Left, Professor David Bellamy, site owner Ann Watson,
Chester-le-street council leader Ralph Harrison and Durham Mayor Jeff Lodge.
A CARAVAN park is being transformed into a village of
homes made from recycled polystyrene.
Finchale
Abbey Park, next to the River Wear on the outskirts of Durham City, has
replaced ageing static caravans with 51 single story lodges clad with a
weatherproof material called Extrudawood.
Extrudawood
area sales manager Bill Stephenson said: “It is the first time in the world
that there has been a development like this. It looks like wood but it’s
polystyrene.
People are
selling their properties and buying these recycled homes and retiring there.
It is totally maintenance free and the only downside
is that it is slightly dearer than wood. The government is looking at it as a
material for low cost housing.”
Yesterday,
an open day was held at the site, owned by Ann Watson and her brother, Eric
Welsh, and was visited by Professor David Bellamy.
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The following article was from the January 2006
edition of Park Home & Holiday Caravan Magazine.
Steve Gray finds out more about Extrudawood, a new
environmentally friendly material used by NJS Lodges to clad their leisure
homes.
Readers of Park Home & Holiday Caravan will no
doubt be familiar with the face of David Bellamy, which regularly graces our
pages. As one of the country’s best-known environmentalists, he campaigns
relentlessly on a whole host of green issues, traveling the world to encourage greater
awareness of environmental protection. He also set up the David Bellamy
Conservation Award Scheme for park home estates and caravan parks over 10 years
ago.
Professor Bellamy stresses that the real potential for
encouraging youngsters to get involved must not be overlooked. Several
companies are trying hard to bring this about, offering guidance and training
to staff who will eventually encourage youngsters to take a real interest in
their environment.
Professor
David Bellamy and Geoff House of Extrudawood
In addition to being involved with the David Bellamy
Conservation Award Scheme, he has recently taken an interest in a new company
which looks set to SAVE THE PLANET ENVIRONMENTAL Innovations Steve Gray finds
out more about Extrudawood, a new environmentally friendly material used by NJS
Lodges to clad their leisure homes revolutionise the way some park homes are constructed. It uses a
new product called Extrudawood, which is made from granulated polystyrene, the
type of material in which McDonalds originally served their burgers.
Based on the Isle of Wight, the Extrudawood company is
saving valuable natural resources, but has the added benefit that a resident
can actually recycle his home at sometime in the future if the design is no
longer to his or her liking. Apparently it is perfectly feasible to re-grind
existing Extrudawood and reuse the granules to produce something more
desirable.
Professor
Bellamy, like many other experts, can see great potential in the adaptability
of Extrudawood, which actually saw the light of day about 30 years ago.
Ultimately, in the interim, the product has been refined and developed to such
a level that it is now possible to use it for various applications, including
the protection of windows and doors. However, residential park homes and
leisure properties are just one of the big future possibilities.
INSPIRED DEVELOPMENT
The manufacture of Extrudawood has gone through
several incarnations. It has been developed to such a level that it can be
produced in almost any colour, is totally UV stable, has a high tensile and
compression strength and, very importantly for some, it is almost maintenance
free.
Initially, the consortium producing Extrudawood had
visions of using it for decking, hot tub cladding and various other
applications. However, after examining various uses for Extrudawood, it was
inspired by park owner Ann Watson, who is currently redeveloping Finchale Abbey
Park in Durham.
Mrs Watson is a keen environmentalist and was eager to
use only green products on her park. Subsequently, it was Ann who first
suggested the manufacture of park homes from this most adaptable material,
which is actually a by-product of the petrochemical industry.
Ann
Watson, owner of Finchale Abbey Park
Ultimately, after several months of prolonged negotiations,
the first park home manufactured from Extrudawood rolled off the production
line, creating a good deal of interest in the process.
Since that first experiment into using Extrudawood for
the production of park homes, further designs have been added in double and
single-unit specifications. NJS has become one of the first companies in the
country to use Extrudawood for the building of residential and leisure units.
The actual production of Extrudawood is quite a simple
procedure, which has taken many years to perfect and stabilise. Granules of waste material are coloured, heated and
extruded through a tool. It is then chopped into the required length and packed
ready for despatch.
Professor Bellamy became involved with the Extrudawood
company several years ago and was immediately excited by the product it was
producing. He commented at the time, This is just what the caravan industry has
been waiting for.
Clearly there is potential for using Extrudawood in a
multitude of different ways and, in fact, it is quite difficult to distinguish
Extrudawood from forested timber. However, the environmental implications are
significant when you consider that it reduces the number of trees felled.
A relatively small firm employing just a handful of
staff, Extrudawood is headed by Geoff House, who initially recognised the great potential of this unique material. He was
so confident about its future uses that he formed a consortium to promote it.
Accordingly, various changes took place and the group generated a lot of
interest, with the result that today Extrudawood looks set to take the park
home industry by storm.
Professor Bellamy is very excited by the development
of Extrudawood and is eager to promote its use. Looking to the future it seems
likely that Extrudawood could become a favoured
material in the
building industry. Its adaptability and strength cannot be denied, making it
far superior to traditional timber, in some respects. Environmentally, its use
can save valuable natural resources in addition to reducing our levels of waste
products.
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Last updated – 4th
October 2006
For more information
on the Park, our new development and availability of residential plots
please call Ann on 0191 3866528 or E-mail: godricawatson@hotmail.com