A street in Carlisle is set to bloom with blue and lilac Forget-Me-Nots as residents celebrate the refurbishment of their homes. The flower seeds are being planted in window boxes and pots at homes in Newtown Close to mark the completion of a re-roofing programme.
Social housing provider, Impact Housing, has carried out the work at 30 of its homes. It signals the beginning of a three-year £25 million investment programme which will see Impact upgrade around 2,800 homes in Cumbria.
This significant investment is part of a pledge made by the Riverside Group when Impact joined the Group a year ago. An additional two-year £10 million investment has been earmarked by Impact – which means that £35 million will be spent on homes over the next five years.
Bryonie Shaw, managing director of Impact Housing said: “Following consultation with tenants and other stakeholders, Newtown Close was identified as one of our first investment projects with the replacement of the original 83-year-old clay roof coverings being a priority. We wanted to thank our tenants and other residents on the street for their co-operation while work was carried out, and thought it fitting to provide seeds and pots for them to plant with their families.
“New windows and doors are also being fitted in the same properties, which will make them warmer and cheaper to heat for residents as we head towards the colder months.”
Sarah Paton, regional director for Riverside, added: “The completion of work comes as we celebrate the first anniversary of Impact Housing joining the Riverside Group. Over the last year, we’ve been working with our Impact colleagues to set up a stock investment team, identify what the priorities are and look at how we can get the best value for money from our investment. We want to create the widest impact as we aim to ensure that every resident has a modern, energy efficient home they can feel proud of.”
Tenants Tony and Marie Ousby wasted no time planting the seeds, with Tony commenting on the recent work: “We’re delighted with our new roof as it’s made our home warmer. Impact has done a great job, keeping us informed on progress throughout the programme. We’re looking forward to getting new windows, doors and fencing next.”
While Samantha Smith, grandmother to Leila Rose Pattinson, aged 6, said: “Leila loves helping around the garden. The pot and seeds are a lovely gift.”
The re-roofing work was carried out over 10 weeks by local company, Top Notch Contractors, which will also fit the new windows and doors.
