Leeds City Region goes green with �Better Homes�

26.01.15

A landmark programme to help residents install energy efficiency improvements in their homes has been agreed for the Leeds City Region. This will bring over £20m of investment into the region and improve over 12,000 privately owned or rented homes.

The “Better Homes Yorkshire” programme brings together the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, nine Local Authorities in the Leeds City Region and private sector partners Keepmoat and Willmott Dixon. Leeds City Council’s Public Private Partnerships and Procurement Unit led the commercial negotiations.

The new partnership will pool the expertise and resources from all partners to provide a transformational home energy offer to residents. This will include new boilers, central heating systems, loft insulation, all types of wall insulation renewable energy systems and a host of smaller improvements.

In the first three years alone, the programme aims to improve the energy efficiency of over 12,000 homes and create jobs and apprenticeships for local people. As a result, the programme will bring at least £20m of investment into the Leeds City Region and increase GVA growth.

Paul Hamer, Chair of the LEP’s Green Economy Panel said:

“Investing in local homes and businesses is the key to unlocking the full potential of our City Region and this programme enables the public and private sector to work together to achieve this goal.

“Alongside energy saving measures, which importantly will help people reduce their energy bills and reduce domestic carbon emissions, the programme opens up new opportunities for small businesses to become part of the supply chain, creating new jobs and apprenticeships and further growth for the region.

“The programme has been established with a degree of flexibility, to ensure we can respond effectively to future changes in legislation or new technologies that may become available over the course of the programme, which may include renewable energy technologies.”

Leader of Bradford Council and Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Investment Committee, Dave Green said:
“This new programme is another great example of the public and private sector working together to deliver further growth for the Leeds City Region and by making it easier for residents to implement these measures in their homes, reflects the LEP, West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s and local authorities shared determination to make a real positive difference for local people.

“Reducing fuel poverty and improving health and wellbeing is vital to ensure we build a resource smart City Region for our residents to both live and work and I am delighted that homes in Bradford, along with other areas in the City Region, will benefit from this scheme.”

Board Member, Martin Smithurst for Better Homes Yorkshire (a consortium of Keepmoat and Willmott Dixon Energy Services) said:

“We are very pleasedto have the opportunity to contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions and fuel poverty in this ground breaking initiative across Leeds City Region and make the homes of Yorkshire healthier, warmer and more energy efficient places to live. Between Keepmoat and Willmott Dixon, we have extensive knowledge and expertise in working to reduce customer’s energy bills and this combined with our Decent Homes experience will benefit householders across the Leeds City Region. This programme will also bring job, apprenticeship and training opportunities for local people.”

The energy efficiency measures will be delivered by private sector partners at Keepmoat and Willmott Dixon Energy Services with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority overseeing the delivery. A wide range of measures will be available to households across the region, households eligible during the first phase of the programme will be contacted by Keepmoat and Willmott Dixon Energy Services over the next few weeks. The offer will be opened up to all home owners and privately renting tenants from Spring 2015.

The Better Homes partnership have also been working with Construction & Housing Yorkshire (CHY) to ensure that the contracted works create local employment, generate skills and provide local businesses with supply chain opportunities. Through CHY and the Green Deal Communities Fund, local businesses have the opportunity to gain PAS2030 accreditation and join Better Homes Yorkshire's supply chain. To find out more, visit the Green Deal Installers Hub website or call CHY on 0113 881 4810.