A farming couple in the Carse of Gowrie, Perthshire hope to be able to build a pioneering eco home beside the River Tay Estuary thanks to Bell Ingram Design architect Bruce Stephens.

Plans for a futuristic house at Templehall Farm near Longforgan have been lodges with Perth and Kinross Council by Mr and Mrs Neil Walker via their architect Bruce Stephens.

In their 22 page design brief, the applicants detail their aspirations for what would be a ‘unique’ property in Perth and Kinross and explain to planners why they feel they satisfy all the criteria within the local authority’s ‘Housing in the Countryside Policy’.

“The proposal will contain innovative renewable energy resources and technologies along with other proven and well established environmental technologies which will undoubtedly create a self-efficient, carbon neutral, pilot, eco-friendly project and one which will enhance the architectural profile of Perth and Kinross.”

“This proposal will also ensure the continued best management and rural stewardship of the land, a land from which the applicants continue to create their livelihoods and will now provide the fuel needed to ‘power’ their home”.

Bruce Stephens explained that the straw-fuelled bio-mass boiler was one of the main features of the eco house, which would also utilise the power of the sun and wind and had design features which reflected its proximity to the River Tay.

Alison Anderson - Perthshire Advertiser