Homes dug into the ground to make them cosy and warm could be built in place of an old mill which is attracting fly tipping and burnt out cars.

A partnership of eight people from the Spen Valley have set up Gomersal Green Homes, which has applied for planning permission to build 18 two, three and four bedroom eco-houses in place of Roundhill Mills in Gomersal.

The development, which will take up a small corner of the 14-acre site, has been designed by one of Europe's foremost environmental architects, Andrew Yeats of Eco-Arc in York, who designed the award-winning Findhorn Eco-village in Scotland.

"These properties will be super-insulated - up to three times as much as normal houses - and will be dug into the ground," said Mr Yeats.

"The south side of the houses will be a two-floor conservatory to trap heat and geothermal heat will also be extracted from the ground through a wind-turbine heat pump.

"The houses will give off no CO2 so will not contribute in any way to global warming. They will be beautiful, warm, cosy houses with a very strong sense of community."

The homes, which will have special roofs to retain moisture, have been designed around a village green and will be a child-safe, car-free nature zone.

So popular is the idea for the eco-homes that three out of the four families who make up the partnership have already put their name down for one.

Members Gordon North and wife Pauline are selling their house to buy one. Mr North said the houses would be affordable and comparable in price to other houses of the same size in Gomersal.

"The suggested layout will be that people live on the first floor because heat rises and that will be the warmest place," he said. "The sleeping areas will be downstairs because it will be cooler - we want to live with the temperature rather than against it.

"There will be a glass atrium sunspace which will be double glazed to retain heat. The rest of the house will be vacuum triple-glazed and the buildings will be insulated to such a high standard that they will not need heating for 300 days of the year.

"We will be encouraging composting and that people grow their own vegetables. They will also be encouraged to use bicycles or public transport."

The group, who have sent letters to local residents outlining their plans, hope to plant up to 2,000 trees on the site to extend nearby Fusden Wood.

In the past, Roundhill has been mined for coal, used as a textile factory, car repairs and other industrial processes. The adjoining land has also been used extensively for tipping.

A planning application for the development was submitted on Friday and the partnership hopes to have a decision by October. Work could then start in the New Year and be completed within 18 months.