A £350,000 project to tackle fuel poverty at more than 300 West Yorkshire homes is about to get underway.
The region’s gas distribution company Northern Gas Networks has joined forces with Community interest company Community Energy Solutions (CES), Wakefield and District Housing (WDH) and Wakefield Council to extend the gas network to more than 300 homes that are currently without a gas supply.
This is the third major project carried out by Northern Gas Networks and CES and will see a mix of social and private homes in the Flanshaw area of Wakefield connected to the gas network in time for Christmas.
Leeds-based CES, is supported by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to help tackle the issue of affordable warmth by updating people’s fuel options either by extending the mains gas supply, or where that’s not possible, introducing other renewable energy alternatives for free or at a reduced cost
Their close relationship with Northern Gas Networks has enabled them to help almost 1,000 homes affected by fuel poverty across Yorkshire and Humber with Flanshaw being the biggest project for the partnership to date.
Northern Gas Networks Chief Executive Basil Scarsella said: “Bringing affordable warmth to communities affected by fuel poverty is something that we see as vital. Connecting them to the gas mains and being able to provide a clean and efficient alternative source of energy is a major step forward in achieving this which is why we’re funding the work on the Flanshaw estate.”
The Flanshaw project, is expected to run from late June until the end of the year ahead of WDH’s wider Decent Homes investment programme which aims to improve the housing stock and give tenants a better environment to live in.
WDH will also be installing gas central heating for all tenants that have opted for it as part of their Decent Homes measures.
Private homes in the community believed to not already have a gas connection are also being offered a fully-funded connection to the gas main. Wakefield Council is also providing £50,000 funding towards central heating grants to help households use their new gas supply. These grants are available on a first-come-first-served basis to householders aged over 60 or on free/reduced cost prescriptions.
Households that are not eligible for this grant, but are in receipt of a benefit, can also apply for the Government Warm Front scheme for help towards gas central heating., while households that do not qualify for either of these schemes will be offered competitive prices to have central heating installed through a scheme contractor.
Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for regeneration Cllr Denise Jeffery said: “Wakefield Council is committed to improving home energy efficiency standards and reducing fuel poverty in the district and this latest project is testament to our investment in achieving this.
Once works are completed many of the properties in Flanshaw that have benefitted, will have gas central heating with instant hot water and easy to control full-house heating for the very first time, as well as better insulation, which will help to significantly lower the area’s CO2 emissions.
Lee Cattermole, Operations Director for CES Yorkshire and Humber, said: “The sheer scale of the work we will be undertaking at Flanshaw undoubtedly highlights the ever-growing desire among homeowners and social landlords to improve their energy efficiency for long-term financial and environmental gain, not just for themselves but for their communities as a whole.”
