LATEST research from housebuilder Redrow suggests homebuyers choosing a new home over a modernised Victorian property could save up to £1,300 every year on their energy bills.

Redrow calculated energy-use and costs for three of its house styles: a four-bedroom detached home, a three-bedroom semi and a three-bedroom mid-terrace.

It then compared costs to those for equivalent-sized Victorian homes with modern improvements. Results showed that a new four-bedroom home could save bill payers around £1,299 a year, while savings in a three-bed semi are around £915 and a three-bed terrace in the region of £709.

On these figures, energy cost savings on a four-bedroom home for example would add an extra £108 to the family purse every month, making a welcome contribution to the mortgage payment or other household bills, buy two tanks of fuel a month or an extra family holiday every year.

Libby Bolton, sales manager, Redrow south west, said: “This kind of saving could make a huge difference for family budgeting. Our homes are packed with features to minimise energy use and maximise efficiency - high quality insulation, double glazing, low-energy boilers, ventilation systems, and efficient lighting as standard in all our properties.” Visit redrow.co.uk.