Hundreds of homes to receive new roofs, windows and doors on Milton Keynes estate

More than 300 homes on Netherfield are to receive new roofs, windows, doors and top-notch insulation in a bid to make them more energy efficient.

The properties will benefit from some of the highest quality energy efficiency upgrades available in the UK, say councillors.

MK City Council obtained planning permission for the project last week after successfully securing funding last year.

The initiative is part of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) made up of £3.4m of government funding, which the City Council has matched and added to.

This brings the initial investment to £9.8m.

External walls in the council homes will be insulated, and windows and doors will upgraded to industry-leading standards. Roofs will be replaced to include high performance insulation.

The work is expected to begin in April this year.

Based on current rates, residents could save around £390 a year on their energy costs from this programme, as well as being more comfortable in the heat of summer.

MK City Council has also submitted an additional bid for funding to deliver a major programme of upgrades in other areas and to more than 1,600 additional homes.

Separately to this project, MK City Council declared a ‘cost-of-living emergency’ last year and has allocated more than £18m in support for struggling residents.

Its Winter Plan includes extra funding for local initiatives that provide food and domestic essentials along with projects that can offset or reduce energy bills. As part of this, the City Council is funding a free helpline offering advice to residents on how to get support with energy costs.

Local people can call freephone 0800 107 0044 to get expert advice from National Energy Foundation’s Better Housing Better Health team, who will assess their situation and suggest help including how to get better energy deals.

Cabinet member for Adults, Healthy Communities and Housing, Cllr Emily Darlington, said: “This project will make an enormous difference for families struggling with fuel bills and the cost-of-living.

“It’s positive to see that we’re making progress in Netherfield and we’re keen on rolling out similar projects in other parts of the city."