Hundreds of Sunderland homes set to benefit from energy efficiency improvements

Sunderland City Council’s ruling cabinet signed-off several successful applications for grant funding for schemes aiming to reduce carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty.

This included the first wave of the government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) and the National Grid’s Warm Homes Fund, which is administered by community interest company Affordable Warmth Solutions.

The Government SHDF grant of £1,236,513 will be used, in partnership with Gentoo, to help fund ‘decarbonisation upgrading works’ to 604 social rented homes owned by Gentoo located across Sunderland.

This will include loft insulation, a combination of loft and window upgrades and fabric enhancements, such as external wall insulation and flat roof upgrades, over the coming financial year.

The council-secured funding will go towards a total project cost of £2,668,115, which includes match funding from Gentoo, with a project board set to be established to oversee the works.

The council, in partnership with Groundwork North East, the Citizens Advice Bureau and the GP Alliance, also secured £948,143 of grant funding from the Warm Homes Fund.

This will be used to support the delivery of affordable heating solutions in “fuel poor” households within the city, and will take the form of two interrelated projects.

The first will deliver air source heat pumps to up to 135 private sector properties within the city and the second project will provide energy advice and guidance to support households.

Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, introduced a report on the external funding bids to cabinet at City Hall this week.

The council leader said the projects would help the council to meet its carbon reduction commitments, while also reducing fuel poverty and health inequalities in the city.

Several senior councillors welcomed the report, including councillor Louise Farthing, cabinet member for children, learning and skills.

Cllr Farthing told the meeting: “Well done to those that have managed to get this money coming into the city because it is well-needed.

“We have high levels of poverty and that is also fuel poverty, so it’s good that we’re going to be doing something to actually alleviate that and also that it fits into our Low Carbon Framework.”

Councillor Kelly Chequer, cabinet member for Healthy City, said: “I think the Warm Homes Fund project in particular is one that I would like to comment upon.

“We’re moving into a stage in our communities where we’re going to see more and more people suffering from fuel poverty.

“We know that’s going to lead to increased health inequalities and people really struggling.

“Anything that we can do as a council and working with our partners to help minimise the impact of these changes that are being imposed on our residents, we have to support.”

Cllr Graeme Miller added: “My view is that the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund is never more welcome than it is now, given that we’re moving into a period over the next couple of months where the government has lost total control of how people can afford to heat their properties, and the cost of living crisis.

“We will be doing this work to try and make sure at least 600 houses have their energy bills come down for the residents there and that they have a better quality of life because of it.”

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