Two years ago, the Chapel scheme in Southampton was one of just five developments in the UK to be awarded the Building for Life Gold Standard. The award was an acknowledgement of the attention to detail put in by Swaythling Housing Society.

Situated between Southampton waterfront and the town centre, Chapel is a development of flats, duplexes and townhouses. With 37% of the site made up of affordable housing, well above the city council’s minimum of 25%, it has helped tackle the shortage of low-cost homes in the city.

Reusing previously developed land, the scheme, designed by Chetwood Associates, is environmentally friendly and combines high-quality contemporary architecture with modern standards of construction.

Thanks to support from the South East England Development Agency and the Energy Savings Trust, a photovoltaic installation has been incorporated to power the communal lighting.

Residents are delighted with the scheme.

“I love the size and shape of all the rooms within the property. I also love the balconies and how light the place is during the day,” says one.

“The general look of the building is very impressive. And the balcony is a huge benefit – I really enjoy using it in the summer months,” says another.