More than 700 Plymouth families will be getting a helping hand with the cost of living thanks to huge improvements to energy efficiency.
Properties will benefit from a range of measures including external wall insulation, cavity insulation and double glazing. Selected properties will also see solar panels and air source heat pumps fitted.
In all, 725 homes across the city will benefit from more than £7 million of investment from the latest wave of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) which the Council officially received from the government and democratically processed today.
The funding, which was announced earlier this year, will be administered by the Council and delivered by partners Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) and LiveWest.
Councillor Tom Briars-Delve, Cabinet member for the Environment and Climate Change, said: "I'm delighted to have completed the democratic process of accepting this grant which will mean so much to so many Plymouth households.
"These improvements will go a long way to towards reducing energy costs for residents while helping the city along on its journey to net zero by 2030."
Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet member for Housing, added: "Much of Plymouth's housing stock dates back a few decades so to see so many homes brought up to modern energy spec is very pleasing.
"I'd like to thank our partners at both PCH and Livewest for their investment of both time and money. It's yet another testament of what can be achieved when partners work together."
Now that the funds have been received, they will be distributed to PCH and LiveWest who will be responsible for delivery of the work to the homes they own and manage in the city and will match-fund the grants from their own funds.
PCH is the largest social housing association in Plymouth with 16,000 homes, and will receive £5.6 million in grant funding and contribute a further £8.6 million to ensure 600 of its homes across Plymouth benefit from energy upgrades over the next two years.
John Clark, Chief Executive of Plymouth Community Homes, said: “It’s fantastic news we will be receiving £5.6m of funding in the second wave of the SHDF which we will match-fund ourselves.
"This will help us to make 600 of our social homes in Plymouth more energy efficient, which will in turn help our tenants to reduce their energy bills and keep their homes warm, dry and comfortable, as well as reducing carbon emissions.
“We are grateful for the support of the council in co-ordinating and securing this funding to enable these vital works to go ahead.”
LiveWest meanwhile, will retrofit 125 homes, receive £1.5 and contribute a further £1.8 million from their own funds.
Nathan Cronk, Director of Asset Management for LiveWest, said: “LiveWest is delighted to be part of Plymouth City Council’s successful bid for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) Wave 2. This funding will enable us continue working with our consortium partners and expand on our valuable SHDF Wave 1 investment in neighbourhoods such as Barne Barton, where Wave 1 delivery is nearing completion.
“Over the next two years The SHDF, alongside our own LiveWest investment, will help us undertake a range of building improvement works to a further 125 homes across Plymouth.
“Sustainable homes, neighbourhoods and communities are at the heart of our commitment to deliver a home for everyone. SHDF funding helps us to reduce our carbon footprint and increase the energy efficiency of our homes, thereby reducing running costs for our customers.”
It means that between Government funding and the money contributed from PCH and LiveWest, over £17.4 million will be committed to the project.