AN ENVIRONMENTALLY oriented group of residents is hoping to build a groundbreaking green village in the district using locally sourced natural materials.

The not-for-profit group, which calls itself Ostara, is still on the look out for a suitable site of 5-10 acres on which to build its eco-hamlet.

However, members of the group have now commissioned a report as they progress their proposals to prove that their vision of a sustainable neighbourhood can be realised.

The report, entitled Local Buildings: Local Materials, supports the group's aim of building the entire development from at least 75 per cent of natural materials sourced within 20 miles of the Five Valleys.

Stroud resident Barbara Lindsay, 57, who founded Ostara, said the group wanted to create a low-impact village which could act as a model for future residential developments.

She believes Ostara's proposed village is a much-needed alternative to the typical large-scale housing developments which communities have become accustomed to in recent years.

Initial plans for the ambitious self-build project include the construction of 10-15 low-impact homes, workspaces, a community hub, gardens and woodland.

The whole build will be done without using high-carbon materials like cement, concrete or bricks, the group says.

Ostara has taken inspiration from a growing number of self-build collectives forming in the UK.

Currently about 10 per cent of homes built every year in the UK are self-build but the Government has said that it wants that number to increase to between 20 and 30 per cent.

The group is hoping to have enough land to be able to share allotment space, and to provide wood for building and fuel.

It plans to keep traffic movements to a minimum by working on site and through the use of schemes such as electric pool cars.

Barbara, who commissioned the report, said the group have now found almost all of the materials and contractors needed to build with.

However, she said they were still searching for a supply of waste wool to use for insulation.

With Stroud's rich heritage in the woollen industry, she remains hopeful of acquiring the wool locally.

Anyone who can help should call Barbara on 01453 755222.