Ecohome built 'with flood-proof garage'

A riverside project has been built in Henley-on-Thames with a garage that rises to prevent flood damage, according to reports.

Architect Chris Tapp has joined forces with television presenter Julia Kendell - star of DIT SOS and 60 Minute Makeover - to build the property completely from sustainable materials where possible, the Henley Standard claimed.

It was reported that, in an effort to minimise their carbon footprint, the pair fitted a wood burning stove and a ground-source heat pump.

The garage design - which includes a float switch that detects the water and lifts the building - is thought to be the first of its kind in the country and could give people planning to self build their own ecohome some ideas for their own property.

Ms Kendell said that the duo were "very keen on building something that is as environmentally friendly as possible" and boasted that the property can provide 70 per cent of its own energy.

Some parts of the town of Henley-on-Thames were up to three feet deep in water last year following floods that swept across Britain, the BBC reported.