Keeper's Cottage is one of the most remote houses in Greater Manchester, standing 1,100ft above sea level in a field of sheep in Diggle, Saddleworth. However, its new owner has plans to completely transform it using renewable technologies over the next 18 months.
Currently little more than a shell, it stands empty and has been unoccupied since the mid 1980s. But now it's set to feature on the BBC’s Homes Under The Hammer.
Jason Reece, who renovates derelict homes for living with his company Sure Build, bought the cottage at auction last summer for £200,000.
The house has no roof and no windows – nor has it ever been plumbed in or connected to the grid. To make matters more difficult the property lies within the Peak District which makes planning regulations even tighter.
Jason says: “The last people to live here were living very basically. They were using batteries for electricity and open fires plus water from the spring nearby. It’s probably the most ambitious one we’ve done.”
Jason says: “I’m still talking to planning to work everything out. Until then we don’t know what we can and can’t do.”
To actually connect the house to a water main or the electricity grid is not possible because it's so remote, Jason is hopeful renewable technologies will make supplying the house with utilities relatively easy.
Jason has previously worked with Energy Gain UK to install renewable technologies in some of the previous projects that he has worked on and we are currently working with him to assess the best options to help him make Keepers Cottage into a fairytale home.
Renewable Technologies solutions proposed include solar panels with battery storage for electricity plus a backup generator.
Heat could be provided by a biomass boiler and wood burner or an air source heat pump. triple glazing and extra wall and roof insulation will ensure the cottage retains as much heat as possible.
Water from the nearby spring can be filtered to make it safe to drink.
However, the Keeper’s Cottage has plenty going for it apart for its romantic location and the acre of land and pond it comes with. When the house is finished it will have four bedrooms plus a decent sized kitchen and living room – plus unrivalled views across Saddleworth.
To find out more about the types types of renewable technologies Jason is intending to use in Keepers Cottage click here.
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