West Midlands residents benefit from warmer homes

Our Salix team joined stakeholders at Friar Park Estate to discuss how energy efficiency upgrades have supported residents with lower energy bills and warmer, healthier, homes

Residents living in a 1930s housing estate in Sandwell have praised a government housing scheme which has part-funded energy efficiency measures that have improved their homes. 

Two-hundred social homes have benefitted from upgrades including insulation, air source heat pumps and solar panels.

For residents, the result has been transformative by lowering their energy bills and helping to keep their homes warm. 

Our project support officer, Matthew Jones joined stakeholders at a celebratory event at Friar Park Estate where residents are pleased to report on the effectiveness of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund scheme. 

We were joined by stakeholders included West Midlands Combined Authority Mayor Richard Parker, contractors Next Energy, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council staff and representatives from our delivery partner consortium led by PwC. 

Matthew said: “There was a real community spirit at Sandwell from the moment we arrived.

“Retrofit upgrades had clearly breathed a new lease of life into the 1930s-build properties, which are now providing warmer, cheaper-to-heat homes for local residents.

“It puts into perspective the ‘why’ behind these schemes – equally to contribute to our net zero targets but also enhancing peoples lives through reducing fuel poverty.”

To support the work at the estate, the Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council was awarded £6 million through Wave 2.1 of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. 

The grant was delivered via the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) as a part of a consortium award split amongst 16 social housing providers. 

We – Salix - act as delivery agent for this scheme, working closely with our delivery partner consortium. Funding is delivered on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

At the event, local councils also outlined their plans for further investment in housing and social housing in both Sandwell and across the West Midlands, reiterating the importance in ensuring that local people have access to a healthy, warm space to call home. This included Councillor Peter Hughes, cabinet member for regeneration and infrastructure at Sandwell Borough Metropolitan Council, who was particularly engaged and passionate about the conversation and what this work means for his community.

Matthew added: “Conversations on future plans and further investment indicate that the journey is far from over and there’s still many more homes – and families – in need of support.”