The scheme, in Bridge Road, has been named Unity Gardens by owner Lincolnshire Rural Housing Association (LRHA), which has worked in partnership with eco-friendly architect SEArch.

The development features three two-bedroom and three three-bedroom homes set in two acres of lush landscaped gardens and allotments and when completed will utilise state-of-the-art technology to minimise energy costs.

With features including solar panels, rainwater harvesting, earth-bunding and an on-site vertical axis wind turbine, tenants selected by LRHA will have relative autonomy over their energy, water and waste management.

The scheme is an evolution of the UK’s first earth-sheltered social housing development in Honingham, Norfolk, which was constructed as part of SEArch’s Dr Jerry Harrall PhD thesis.

In 2006, its tenants enjoyed average weekly energy charges of £5.30 – 80 per cent less than the annual average costs of a two-bedroom dwelling.

However, Unity Gardens is expected to far exceed this saving, with residents also receiving a small income from the sale of electricity generated by their homes back to the National Grid.

Unity Gardens is just one of a number of projects SEArch is involved in at the moment, with its Carbon Neutral Business Zone (CaNeBuZo), in Gedney Road, nearing completion.

The site witnessed a landmark moment last month when the UK’s first Skyrota Vertical Axis Wind Turbine was installed, capable of producing five kilowatts of energy.