Developers Biotecture claim the homes will be so energy efficient they will have no utility bills.

The company submitted a planning application at the end of February to build the estate on a site overlooking the Brighton marina. The move comes after the firm built two “Earthship,” as the houses are known, prototypes in Fife in Scotland and Stanmer in Sussex to demonstrate the potential of the idea.

Earthships are built by stacking up tyres, which are then packed with earth and recycled rubbish, and plastered over. The homes, if built, will also collect their own water and be powered by solar panels and wind turbines. The homes are expected to fetch between £250,000 and £350,000 each.