Eco-lodges are in

If you enjoy the slow pace of island life in Bahrain and are keen to turn it down another notch, then this development on the sleepy Isle of Wight could be for you.

But before you stop reading, it is worth knowing that this very English island off the south coast of the UK, once home to scores of retirees, is enjoying something of boom.

Second-home buyers have been rediscovering the Isle of Wight in their herds.

The purple rinses have been banished to the towns and the rest of the isle has become a veritable haven for chic and trendy eco-living.

New environmentally friendly homes have popped up across its beautiful coastline, and full-time re-locators have helped to fuel the real-estate buzz.

The Isle of Wight is now fashionable weekend territory for the Londoners lured by the gourmet restaurants, boutique retreats and shops.

For the last four years has been home to a wildly successful annual pop festival called Bestival.

This year the likes of the Chemical Brothers and Rob da Bank woke up the local population, attracting thousands of revellers.

Every August the island also hosts the Cowes Week regatta, a highlight in the international sailing calendar.

Older generations however are still attracted by the tranquil life of the island's towns, (many of which are stuck somewhere in the 1950s), while young families are wooed by wholesome outdoor lifestyle and countless activities.

The island's activities are complemented by the favourable climate: the Isle of Wight enjoys more sunshine every year than anywhere else in the kingdom.

In keeping with the eco-friendly hat that the Isle of Wight now dons, a development company is building a range of seductive eco-homes in Atherfield Bay.

On a large plot of land overlooking a scenic stretch of the coastline, 100 lodges will be scattered across 25 acres, complete with its own beach, sports facilities and an indoor and outdoor swimming pool. The project is being constructed in an 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty' that is a popular spot for cycling, riding, fishing, golf, wind surfing and paragliding.

While the location is enviable, it is the design of the lodges and their reasonable price tag that is likely to appeal to most.

The lodges are designed by architects Buckley Gray Yeoman - a practice more used to creating projects as diverse as the British Council's offices in Milan and The Bridge for Channel Five Television.

They were challenged to design a new lodge and they came up with 'The Retreat,' the design that the developers of the project have chosen.

These homes are contemporary, intelligent and rigidly constructed.

They are constructed extensively from timber obtained from suppliers who are members of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FSC products have their forests of origin independently inspected and evaluated according to specific environmental, social and economic criteria.

The designers say wherever possible, they avoid using man-made materials such as plastic or coated sheets for external cladding, man made coatings for internal wall surfaces and polyester carpets.

The Retreat has large floor to ceiling windows allowing considerable sunlight to enter each room, thereby reducing the need for electric lighting in the darker winter months. The windows have been designed to create fresh air movement throughout the home to remove stale air.

The frames are also made from hardwood which absorbs sound and helps keep warmth inside a home.

By virtue of the materials used in the construction of The Retreat its designers say the home is inherently recyclable - timber can be reused or reduced to woodchip for other building products, steel can be smelted for reuse and glass can be recycled.

The first group of lodges are set to be built by May next year.

Sustainable, bursting with environmentally friendly brownie points and set in a stunning location in one of England's trendiest getaway, this development is a revolutionary relaxing retreat.

l Guide price: sea view lodges from £200,000, inward facing lodges £179,000.