Member Article

£20 million green homes investment for Leeds City Region

A green homes scheme, which will bring £20 million of investment into the area, has been given the go-ahead.

The landmark programme to help residents install energy efficiency improvements in their homes has been agreed for the Leeds City Region and means that over 12,000 privately owned or rented homes will be improved.

The “Better Homes Yorkshire” programme brings together the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, nine Local Authorities in the Leeds City Region and private sector partners Keepmoat and Willmott Dixon.

Leeds City Council’s Public Private Partnerships and Procurement Unit led the commercial negotiations.

Home upgrades will include new boilers, central heating systems, loft insulation, all types of wall insulation renewable energy systems and a host of smaller improvements.

In the first three years alone, the programme aims to improve the energy efficiency of over 12,000 homes and create jobs and apprenticeships for local people.

As a result, the programme will bring at least £20 million of investment into the Leeds City Region and increase GVA growth.

Paul Hamer, chair of the LEP’s Green Economy Panel said: “Investing in local homes and businesses is the key to unlocking the full potential of our City Region and this programme enables the public and private sector to work together to achieve this goal.

“The programme has been established with a degree of flexibility, to ensure we can respond effectively to future changes in legislation or new technologies that may become available over the course of the programme, which may include renewable energy technologies.”

Leader of Bradford Council and chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Investment Committee, Dave Green said: “Reducing fuel poverty and improving health and wellbeing is vital to ensure we build a resource smart City Region for our residents to both live and work and I am delighted that homes in Bradford, along with other areas in the City Region, will benefit from this scheme.”

Board member, Martin Smithurst for Better Homes Yorkshire (a consortium of Keepmoat and Willmott Dixon Energy Services) said: “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions and fuel poverty in this ground breaking initiative across Leeds City Region and make the homes of Yorkshire healthier, warmer and more energy efficient places to live.

“Between Keepmoat and Willmott Dixon, we have extensive knowledge and expertise in working to reduce customer’s energy bills and this combined with our Decent Homes experience will benefit householders across the Leeds City Region.

“This programme will also bring job, apprenticeship and training opportunities for local people.”

The energy efficiency measures will be delivered by private sector partners at Keepmoat and Willmott Dixon Energy Services with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority overseeing the delivery.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .