Council’s retrofit housing programme recognised by £5.1m government funding boost

News release from City of Wolverhampton Council dated Tuesday 19 March 2024

City of Wolverhampton Council has secured £5.1million of government funding to boost its retrofit housing programme.

It follows a successful bid to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (Wave 2.2).

The funding will bolster works already underway by the council to deliver warmer, greener and more energy efficient homes for council tenants living in ageing, thermally inefficient, non-traditionally built housing stock.

The first 45 homes were completed in November as part of an initial phase that comprises 85 ‘Cornish’ properties near Bradley Lane in Bradley and 86 ‘Wimpey No-fines’ properties on the Rough Hills Estate in Ettingshall.

It is part of Wolverhampton Council’s wider regeneration programme to improve 414 of these homes across the city.

The properties are being made more energy efficient through a series of measures, including installation of external wall insulation, new double glazing, replacement of external doors, increased loft insulation, improved ventilation and re-roofing – all helping tenants reduce the amount of energy they use and cut down carbon emissions.

The overall programme is being managed on behalf of the council by Wolverhampton Homes and follows a consultation process with the residents.

Councillor Steve Evans, City of Wolverhampton Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, said:

“This funding recognises the huge strides this council is taking to retrofit ageing council homes to provide the best quality of housing we can for our tenants.

“With the current high cost of energy, it is especially important we improve the energy efficiency of any poorly performing council-owned housing.

“Our priority is to deliver good homes in well-connected neighbourhoods and this investment programme demonstrates the council’s commitment to ensuring every resident has a safe and affordable home.

“Not only will these retrofit works improve the homes of our tenants and save them money they will also play a large part in meeting the city’s climate change challenge to be carbon neutral by 2041.”