WORK has started on the region's first luxury environmentally-friendly holiday lodges.

Ten 'eco' homes are being built near Richmond, North Yorkshire, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

The lodges are made from sustainable timber, insulated with recycled paper and have a living roof made of sedum plants.

The family of developer Simon Spence's has owned the 55 acres of land for the last 17 years.

"We're not really a farming family and it was really just a place to come for some recreation," said Mr Spence.

"We decided we either had sell it or make some money from it."

Other features of the development include spring water collected and purified on site, a sewage system that uses reed beds to filter the waste and electricity sourced from green suppliers.

Mr Spence is keen to stress that the lodges are being built to five-star specifications.

The firm he set-up with brother Matthew to build the lodges is called Ecobuild UK.

However, a focus group asked to give its opinion on the development said the word 'eco' conjured up images of sawdust toilets and hammocks for beds, so a new name for the project is now being sought.

"We're trying to create luxury holiday homes with a green theme," said Mr Spence, who says he and his brother are committed to the idea of sustainable tourism.

"The homes will be environmentally friendly as they possibly can be, without compromising on quality or comfort.

"Ultimately we could have built the homes for a third of the cost without the green specification."

The project has got the backing of the Yorkshire Tourist Board.

Chief executive David Andrews said: "From the beginning, this development matched the criteria we like to apply before committing our support.

"Ecobuild UK have come up with a development that will bring business into the region and strengthen visitors' positive image of the area.

"It's innovative in its concept and design, is accessible, supports other products in the area, will provide employment and benefit the local economy."