An new innovative scheme to transform properties into energy efficient homes in two areas of Barrow has been launched.
The project forms part of #BrilliantBarrow – an initiative which has secured an offer of £25 million from the Government’s Towns Fund for a series of projects in the town.
The housing renewal programme will focus on a number of properties in Rawlinson Street and Barrow Island.
Details determining the exact nature of the work is yet to be decided, the organisations behind the project said, but they will be centred around the installation of energy efficiency measures and aesthetic enhancements.
It is hoped work could begin in Rawlinson Street next year and Barrow Island in 2023.
Residents living in homes set to be included in the housing renewal scheme will be contacted directly nearer the time.
Ann Thomson, Barrow Borough Council leader and a member of the #BrilliantBarrow board, said: “This is a very exciting project and one that could provide wider benefits for our communities.
“One of our ambitions for the borough is to become carbon neutral by 2037, something we are working towards continually.
“Therefore it seems right that this #BrilliantBarrow project would seek to make more homes environmentally friendly for the greener future we all want for ourselves, future generations, wildlife and the planet.
“We know so many of our residents take a real pride in where they live, so improvements to the overall appearance of homes in these two areas will also secure a range of benefits for the whole community.”
Barrow was one of the first towns in the country to submit a successful bid for grant funding from the Government’s £3.4 billion Towns Fund last year.
It secured an offer of £25 million, the maximum sum available, for #BrilliantBarrow – an initiative which features seven innovative projects designed to ensure the area enjoys a thriving and prosperous future.
The projects range from a Learning Quarter – featuring a new university campus for Barrow – to a network of community resilience hubs including an outdoor community space at Earnse Bay and infrastructure to improve walking and cycling routes in the town.
Business cases are now in development for each project and will be submitted to the Government later this year as part of the process of unlocking the promised cash.
Councillor Thomson added: “The way we live has changed over the decades so it’s important that we make sure the properties we have here in Barrow change with the times too.
“This programme of housing renewal is a one-off opportunity to invest in changes to a number of homes, changes that will bring positives to our communities for years to come.”
