Dozens of families in East Midlands village benefit from warmer homes

Energy efficient retrofit scheme aims to completely transform socially rented homes in East Leake

Families living in 75 homes in the Nottinghamshire village of East Leake are benefitting from a £5.3 million project bringing old homes up to modern standards thanks to an energy efficiency retrofit scheme led by Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH).

Built at the end of the Second World War, the homes require significant upgrades to their insulation in order to keep residents warm. The project will also help residents to save an estimated £893 per year on their energy bills. 

Our Salix teams visited to speak with stakeholders about an ambitious programme of work set to totally transform these homes to make them warmer and healthier to live in.

James Keirnan, MTVH’s decarbonisation programme manager, said: “The homes in East Leake are predominantly a steel-framed prefabricated construction known in the industry as BISF. 

“They were built post-war in an effort to re-build England and are typical of the mid-20th century where homes were constructed at pace to address a national housing shortage.” 

The original intention was for the properties to be upgraded after a quarter of a century at best, but they’re still standing as permanent residencies at more than triple that timespan. 

James added: “We’ve taken what are very cold, leaky homes to tighten them up with insulation and ensure that the air flow is managed – to rebuild them essentially.”

“We will take the outside finish of the property right back so you’re left with an internal fibreboard, steel framework, and we will build up from there with modern materials.

“So, what you will end up with is a home that is to current standards, to current rates and is suitable for modern living for decades to come, helping to ensure residents stay warm and dry whilst saving money on their energy costs.”

Watch our short video to hear more from James, including the trust’s core focus on resident engagement and aiming to win the “hearts and minds” of the people of East Leake throughout the delivery of its works

To support its work in East Leake, MTVH secured funding through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.1. Our Salix teams act as delivery agent for the scheme, working closely with our delivery partner consortium, led by PwC.

Overall, MTVH are investing £5.3 million in the East Leake programme.

Alongside its efforts to retrofit the properties with energy efficiency measures that support residents with warmer space and lower energy bills, MTVH is implementing additional fire safety measures in the homes as well.

Andy Carter, our director of communications who joined the visit, said: “The energy-efficiency improvements being made to the homes in East Leake means families will save money on energy bills and live in more comfortable conditions.

“Extending the upgrades to incorporate additional fire safety measures demonstrates the genuine care that MTVH has for its residents.”

About the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund

First launched in August 2021, the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund made grant funding available to eligible social housing landlords, including local authorities and housing associations, so that they can install energy efficiency measures, such as insulation and heat pumps, in socially rented homes. 

The scheme is designed to support more social housing tenants, who will benefit from homes that are warmer and cheaper to heat, saving money on their fuel bills, as well as cutting carbon emissions, as part of the UK’s approach to delivering net zero in a way that reduces the burden on British families.

In our capacity as delivery agent for the scheme, we provide assurance to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. We continue to monitor and make refinements, responding to the feedback we receive, to ultimately help all successful grant recipients on their journey to supporting the net zero agenda.

Read more about the scheme through our website.