Plans have been submitted for a zero-carbon housing estate near Pontardawe.

The scheme, which involves 35 homes and a community building on a 3.5-acre site in Rhyd Y Fro, has been submitted by Yr Hadau Ltd on behalf of Sero Homes.

The housebuilder is planning to retain the homes, renting them out rather than selling them on, with its sister company Sero Energy providing the utilities.

The development, accessed from Waun Sterw,  includes 11 two-bedroom homes, 22 three-bedroom homes, and two four-bedroom homes.

Planning documents submitted to Neath Port Talbot Council state that while the scheme does not include any affordable housing the way in which the homes are rented out will mean the cost of living there will be lower than the comparable local market rent with utility bills added in.

In this way the developer says all 35 homes in the scheme, called Parc Hadau, are considered affordable.

The homes will each have solar panels to provide electricity, an electric car charging point, and ground source heating with battery storage packs allowing the energy to be stored and used when the renewable sources are not producing energy.

Sero Energy also plans to offer grid balancing to the national grid from the energy not used in the homes.

According to the design and access statement the homes are designed to be terraced to minimise energy use as well as minimise material use.

The site sits within a site of interest for nature conservation (SINC) and is close to ancient semi-natural woodland.

It forms part of a wider allocation within the local development plan for housing.

The developer says the scheme will include a wetland landscape, mounded areas of wild grass, and a flowering meadow.

Communal gardens will include outdoor cooking spaces such as barbecue areas and long tables.

The plans also involve a community building for people to come together to socialise, play, and eat.

The developer said the community building will initially be used to showcase the development before becoming what those living there decide on – options include a community shop, library, cafe and games room.

Sero Homes added that while two parking spaces are planned for each home its intention is to reduce the number of spaces over time through encouraging residents to use more active means of travel, provision of a car-sharing scheme, and as public transport links improve over time.

The application number is P2019/5543.