Runcorn housing project secures energy-saving investment

We've all thought it: "I've installed LED lighting in my home, but what are they doing in Runcorn?" Well, worry no more. Investment has been secured to retrofit energy-saving lighting to more than 80 homes on a Runcorn housing estate, so the Runcorn and Widnes area can stop letting the side down.

According to reports, the housing association Plus Dane Group is set to carry out the makeovers in the Castlefields area of Runcorn, where 87 homes on a nearby estate will be fitted with insulation, a roofing revamp and energy advice in an effort to slash collective bills.

"We are committed to investing in our properties to make them all fit for the future and this is one of the first steps on the journey," said Plus Dane head of asset management Martin Gladwin. "The energy challenges of the future are immense, with climate change and the likelihood of rising fuel bills having a huge impact on people's lives and livelihoods."

A spokesperson for the Castlefields group said the scheme was running in addition to a multi-million pound project to make improvements to homes in nearby Halton and Merseyside.

And as well as keeping homes warmer in winter, the project aims to educate residents in energy watching in an attempt to cut their fuel costs - and the project will see consumer units and energy meters fitted so tenants can see their energy usage as it happens.

It's not just saving heating and electricity costs that the project hopes to achieve, as Mr Gladwin continued. "It is also a likely source of growth in the job market as it becomes ever more vital to cut emissions and reduce bills."

Large estates are prime candidates for energy saving overhauls, as the multiplied cost savings can result in a significant return. A recent report focussed on a social landlord's project in Liverpool-based Riverside found that more than 4,200 measures across its housing stock resulted in a £1.2 million saving for tenants.