The Duchy of Cornwall's first homes built to directly address homelessness, built with a first-of-its-kind sustainable blockwork

02 June 2026

In a first pilot project for the Duchy of Cornwall, homes in its Cornish community of Nansledan, visited last week by HRH The Duke of Cornwall, have been built using sustainable concrete blockwork made with proprietary lightweight aggregate from Low Carbon Materials (LCM), a 2022 Earthshot Prize Finalist. The project demonstrates how the Duchy of Cornwall can act as a real-world test bed for innovative solutions, bringing Earthshot Prize Finalists into developments that deliver lasting social and environmental impact.

The blockwork was manufactured by Ibstock using OSTO®, LCM’s drop-in lightweight aggregate, which is made from waste that would otherwise be incinerated. The first homes which will accommodate up to 16 individuals at the development incorporate the blocks.

The Duke of Cornwall visited the site to support with finishing touches to the homes. The project is being delivered by the Duchy of Cornwall in partnership with Cornish charity St Petrocs and is supported by The Royal Foundation’s Homewards programme. The build of the homes was funded by The Duke of Cornwall’s Charitable Foundation. The scheme will provide 24 low-carbon homes with wraparound support for people experiencing homelessness, the first residents are expected to move in this summer.

The Duchy has been explicit about the low-carbon ambition underpinning the build. Duchy of Cornwall Project Manager Peter James said, who is managing the build, said:

“This is a pioneering initiative in several respects. It marks a first for the Duchy in addressing homelessness and supporting local people on a path toward secure, long-term housing. At the same time, it deepens our understanding of low-carbon building techniques as part of our commitment to reaching net zero. We hope the insights gained here will prove valuable and inspire similar efforts across the UK.”

The project is a natural fit for LCM, whose sustainable materials enable the construction industry to cut emissions without changing how it works. The company was selected as a Finalist for the 2022 Earthshot Prize, — the world’s most prestigious environmental award founded by Prince William — in the Fix Our Climate category.

Natasha Boulding, CEO of Low Carbon Materials, said: “We’re hugely proud to be part of a project that does so much good for people in Cornwall. It shows that homes built to tackle homelessness can also be built sustainably. By working closely with partners like Ibstock across our supply chain, we can make low-impact materials the easy, drop-in choice for builders, not a trade-off.”

Joe Hudson, CEO of Ibstock Plc, said: “We’re proud to have played a role in a project that brings together social purpose and sustainable innovation. By supplying blockwork made with Low Carbon Materials’ OSTO® aggregate, we’ve supported the delivery of homes that not only meet a critical need in Cornwall but also demonstrate how lower-carbon materials with circular benefits can be applied in practice today. This project is a strong example of what can be achieved when partners across the supply chain work together to turn waste into value and deliver better outcomes for people and the planet.”

It’s not the first time LCMs products have been featured in a high-profile project this year. LCM’s biochar-mineral aggregate ACLA®, the company’s flagship carbon negative additive, was used at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in the Asthma + Lung UK Breathing Space Garden, which won a Silver medal. The garden’s central platform used a world-first, net zero concrete mix combining ACLA® with oyster shells and calcined clay.

About OSTO®

OSTO® is a high-performance, drop-in lightweight aggregate made from waste products that would otherwise be incinerated. By preventing that incineration, OSTO® avoids the immediate release of harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, turning waste into a circular construction material.

About ACLA®

ACLA® is a carbon-negative biochar-mineral aggregate that permanently locks carbon into construction materials. Low Carbon Materials is the UK’s biggest user of biochar in construction. To date, ACLA® has mainly been used to decarbonise asphalt across the UK. It is now being rolled out into concrete, a market that dwarfs asphalt and is in urgent need of solutions to reach net zero. ACLA® can fully decarbonise concrete, enabling net zero mixes.

About Low Carbon Materials

Low Carbon Materials is a scaling UK company developing carbon-negative technologies that help the construction industry cut emissions without changing how it works. It was selected as a Finalist in the 2022 Earthshot Prize in the Fix Our Climate category, the world’s most prestigious environmental award founded by HRH Prince William, and a winner of the Blue Earth SCALE competition. It is one of five materials companies selected for Amazon’s Go Build programme, which Amazon is looking to scale globally.

About The Duchy of Cornwall

The Duchy of Cornwall is on a mission to become a world-leading impact organisation, using its assets and convening power to deliver resilient, vibrant, and prosperous communities and ecosystems - now, and into the future. It creates positive outcomes for people, nature, and communities, as well as returns that are reinvested with purpose.

WE ARE Ibstock