GREEN homes are being built for tenants who want an environmentally-friendly lifestyle and low heating bills.

Tenants will get heating bills of £1 per week for the houses, which are all heavily insulated and have a mechanical ventilation system.

Eighteen two and three bedroom houses will make up the development, which is next to the St Nicholas Fields nature reserve in York and will be known as Fieldside Place.

The homes are being built by York Housing Association and will be available to rent for about £65 a week for a two-bedroom house and £70 for a three-bedroom house.

They were designed by architect Phil Bixby from Constructive Individuals. He said: "The houses have better insulation and more airtight construction, giving reduced heating bills, more even temperatures and fewer draughts.

"All the living rooms are south facing and have conservatories, allowing the heat from the sun to be trapped and used when it is needed."

Each house also has a cycle store.