Hundreds more homes will be retrofitted to slash energy bills in
the Tees Valley after our region smashed its delivery targets.
The North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub has secured £14million
of extra funding to improve another 2,381 properties across the
whole region.
And the boost will ensure an extra 200 homes managed by
Darlington Borough Council will be improved with measures
including new loft and wall insulation, double glazing and
low-carbon heating technologies such as heat pumps.
Social housing provider Thirteen will also retrofit a further 381
homes in the Tees Valley thanks to the extra funding.
The consortium of 22 local authorities and housing providers
secured extra backing from the Government for exceeding its
targets where other regions fell short.
More than £3million of the extra £14million granted will be used
in the Tees Valley.
And this figure has been further bolstered by co-funding from
consortium partners.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: People across Teesside,
Darlington and Hartlepool are still being hit by the high cost of
energy bills and that is money coming straight out of hardworking
families' pockets.
This funding means hundreds more homes will get the upgrades they
need to stay warmer, waste less energy and bring bills down.
We'll keep fighting to get every penny we can to ensure our
families are spending less of their hard-earned money on heating
their homes.
The fresh funding follows a successful first year of delivery,
where the consortium improved the energy efficiency of more than
1,600 homes.
Thirteen's chief investment and property officer Sharon Thomas
said: We're delighted to secure this additional funding, which
means we can help even more of our customers benefit from warmer,
more energy-efficient homes.
By working in partnership across the Tees Valley, we'll be able
to retrofit hundreds more homes, improving comfort, reducing
energy use, and helping residents lower their household bills.
These upgrades will not only make homes warmer and more
sustainable, but will also contribute to reducing carbon
emissions and supporting investment in local communities.
The North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub is funded and directed
by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and Great
British Energy. Strategic leadership is provided by a board made
up of representatives of the six Combined Authorities of the
North East and Yorkshire. The Tees Valley Combined Authority
leads the consortium as the Hub's host authority.
Karen Oliver Spry, Manager of the North East and Yorkshire Net
Zero Hub, said: This funding is a boost and reflects the strong
delivery of local partners working to improve social housing, cut
carbon emissions and help residents live in warmer, healthier
homes.
With this latest allocation, hundreds more households will
benefit from energy-efficiency upgrades, improving comfort and
wellbeing while helping to reduce household energy use and bills.
It will also bolster the region's own net zero ambitions and
create opportunities for local supply chains and retrofit
businesses across our area.
The North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub is part of a national
network of hubs in England, funded and directed by the UK
Government's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero to
support local areas to implement their local energy strategies,
and to support delivery of the government's Clean Energy 2030
ambition and key national policy such as the Warm Homes Plan and
the Local Power Plan.
