Energy bills halved at new flats

New tenant says she feels lucky to pick up her keys

- JOSEPH TIMAN

THE FIRST residents have started moving into new eco-friendly apartments in Salford where energy bills are said to cost less than half the usual price. Among them is Harriette Matthews, a 29-year-old studying to be a counsellor, who picked up her keys last week.

She was given one of the 13 apartments available for 'affordable rent' at the new Greenhaus building. The largest eco-friendly development of its kind in the North West, the apartment block in Chapel Street features 96 'highly-sustainable, affordable flats.

Harriette has been staying on her dad's sofa in his one-bedroom flat for the past seven months following a relationship breakdown.

She has autism and is a sufferer of scoliosis a curvature of the spine - meaning her living conditions have been affecting her health.

She said moving into the Passivhaus Classic Certified building will transform her life - and the development's eco credentials are the icing on the cake for her. She said: "I just can't put into words how much of a difference having my own home will make to my life.