Developer launches virtual garden fence

Miller Homes is to enable all of its buyers to get to know their neighbours online, through a new service “mymillerstreet” which goes live across the UK this month. The website is a first for the British housebuilding industry and will be open to every resident living on most of the company’s 21 developments across the Yorkshire region.

Once residents have registered with the service, they will be able to see at a glance who lives nearby, by simply hovering their cursor over each plot.

They will also have access to a “Message Board” page which has been designed to encourage neighbours to talk to each other online and set up community groups and facilities such as car shares, book clubs, children’s activities and baby sitting circles.

All Miller homeowners will be offered the chance to register their details on the site and view the details of other registered residents. Joining will be optional and only residents from the same development will be able to view each other’s details.

Miller Homes hopes that its new website will act as an icebreaker for people as they move on to a new development and will ultimately lead to a greatly improved community spirit amongst its buyers.

Philip Hogg, marketing director of Miller Homes, said; “One of the biggest issues we face as a society is the break down of communities in the traditional sense. The introduction of the internet has widened our horizons and allowed us to interact with people on the other side of the world. However, many of us don’t even know the man next door and this is where Mymillerstreet.co.uk will come into its own.

“It takes the concept of an online social network one step further in that is works on an actual as well as virtual level. By providing our residents with this technology, we hope to have given them the tools with which they can build successful communities of their own.”

In addition to the neighbourly aspects of the website, buyers are also strongly encouraged to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle in their new home.

Under a dedicated “My Environment” section, homeowners can discover the impact that their lifestyle has on the planet. They can undertake a series of tests to measure their carbon footprint, their water usage and commitment to recycling.

Crucially, the site also offers tips and advice on how to become more environmentally friendly in the future. This area of the website is open to all online visitors.

Philip Hogg added; “As a company, we are already making a serious commitment to improving our green credentials but the buck doesn’t stop there. We see it as our duty to promote sustainability at every stage of the housebuilding process, and this includes the way our homes are lived in once they have been constructed.”

Further benefits of mymillerstreet include a “My Locality” section which is connected to a wide range of information about the users’ local area, including local schools, property prices, services and transport.

To visit the site log on to Mymillerstreet.co.uk.