Corporate News, News

Residents are turning the heat up on fuel poverty and climate change, thanks to a pioneering new pilot project.

Non-profit landlord Trent & Dove, with over 6,000 homes across East Staffordshire, South Derbyshire & Northwest Leicestershire, is retrofitting 32 homes to significantly improve their energy efficiency and reduce customers’ fuel consumption. The work follows a successful consortium bid led by Wychavon District Council to the Government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF). Trent & Dove is funding a third of the £1.5m costs for their homes in the project.

 As part of the pilot, the properties, which are in Uttoxeter, Sudbury, Ashbourne and Abbots Bromley, are benefiting from such works as free external wall insulation, internal wall insulation where needed, new doors and windows, loft insulation and roof enhancements. The type of works will depend on each individual property. The homes are all in rural locations with the majority being off the mains gas network.

NHF chief executive Kate Henderson visited the scheme with representatives from Trent & Dove on Thursday 14^th July, chatting to residents and to see first-hand the work delivered so far under the project.

She said: “Trent & Dove’s decarbonisation project in Uttoxeter is a brilliant example of how housing associations are leading the way in retrofitting homes with support from the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, helping the country reach its net zero ambitions. These homes not only look smart, but residents are already seeing the difference in warmth and energy costs.

“This visit highlighted how decarbonisation, regeneration and levelling up should go hand in hand and demonstrated how, with the challenges our country is facing in terms of the cost-of-living crisis, insulating our homes is more important than ever.”

Resident Miriam Paggett was one of those who spoke to the visitors. She said: “I can’t fault it whatsoever it does exactly what is says on the tin. I am absolutely over the moon with it and my home already feels so much warmer. The thermostat keeps turning off so quickly, it’s never done that before! I would be very shocked if anyone refuses to have this done, it’s life changing.”

The pilot is designed to test residents’ views of the work, measure energy savings before and after works and build up an understanding of how best to tackle making existing homes more energy efficient. To support residents through the retrofitting work, a dedicated resident liaison officer has been appointed by the contractor Sustainable Building Services UK to visit all homes and maintain ongoing contact.

Trent & Dove is one of the social landlords selected by Wychavon District Council as part of their successful £5.8m Government grant to retrofit an estimated 185 homes, creating decarbonised neighbourhoods. It is hoped each home will use less fuel, so cancelling out increasing price hikes.

Mark Gormley, Property Director at Trent & Dove, said: “We are delighted to be playing our role in creating sustainable communities and helping the UK to tackle climate change. This pilot project will inform our forward ambitions of reducing the impact our homes and services have on climate change and reducing the energy needed by our customers to heat their homes.

We are thrilled to work in partnership with BEIS, Wychavon District Council and the consortium of social landlords who have made this initiative possible.”

Cllr Chris Day, Executive Board Member for Housing, Health and Wellbeing on Wychavon District Council, added: “We’re proud of our commitment to helping people save energy and cut costs, especially at such a challenging time, so it’s great to be part of this exciting new scheme. We believe it will deliver long-term benefits for residents and the environment.”