Firstly, seek advice on a planning consultant in your area.

Building a house to replace the existing one is fine. They can't do much
there, apart have a say in the style and size. Do you want to have two
houses, and keep the existing house?

Pushing an eco house is a great lever to some authorities. They all spout
eco credentials and like to be seen doing something in that area (few do).
If you state: renewable materials, the house will follow the local
vernacular (or made of wood) and all the eco and low to zero energy aspects
as you have stated, they may bend towards you. They can then use your house
as an e.g., of their eco credentials.

A 100% eco house is what they want in their area. Many of them partially
apply eco aspects on building which are not obviously visible. Say that the
house will have temperaure sensors to monitor its performance and that local
colleges and uni's will be invited along for presentations of the
construction and design and the performance data freely given to them. As a
bigger lever, see one of the local uni architects depts and get some of
their involvement, no matter how minor. All this adds up to someone caring
for the environment and the local community, not just a selfish person who
wants to save on fuel bills and locks himself up in his smart house.

Speak to them again with some hard outlines of an eco house design and the
prime eco functions. But after you have done the above.

Thanks, sounds like good advice. I hope Mid Suffolk DC is eco mad...!

I could do with some more ideas of eco friendly ideas. The ones I've got so far a

- Super insulated - insulation from recycled materials
- wood frame - ?
- passive solar wall space heating
- solar domestic hot water
- wood burners with onsite ash coppice
- low energy lighting throughout

What else? I don't know so much about the eco friendly materials side of things.

Nick