A £2.15m plan to revamp homes on a Barrow Street have been ditched – and will focus on another area of the town instead.
In 2022, it was announced The Housing Market Renewal Scheme, part of the Brilliant Barrow Town Deal, was initially going to revitalise a number of properties on Rawlinson Street and Barrow Island.
However, it was announced today, Monday January 6 2025, that the scheme will change focus to improve six flats in Steamer Street, and public realm improvements around Steamer Street and Egerton Court.
With a Town Deal spending deadline of March 2026, the town deal board agreed that the changing the focus would have a more positive impact and be achievable.
Schooner Street is Grade II listed and Steamer Street Grade II* listed. Barrow Island Conservation Area was recently described as one of the most distinctive conservation areas in the North West.
Six flats in the Steamer Street block will act as examples on how to retrofit apartments of traditional solid-wall construction.
It could include work to improve the thermal performance, material to help combat mould, repairs and/or replacement of windows and doors, internal insulation, lime plastering and breathable wall finishes.
A new housing officer role will also be created to work closely with tenants and stakeholders to identify hazards within the current housing stock and act on behalf of tenants to protect their rights.
The project, Brilliant Barrow said, aimed to provide investment in residential properties to generate positive outcomes for residents, the wider community and the environment – as well as demonstrating the benefits to landlords to improve other flats in the area.
As part of Westmorland and Furness Council’s Community Power agenda, the council’s locality team, dedicated community development officer on Barrow Island, the council’s safe and strong team, health and third sector partners and the community have been working together to give the community a great say on improvements they would like to see locally, the authority said.
The project – with a budget of £2.154m, including £50,000 from Historic England – will be supported by a creative engagement strategy, which will look to build relationships with residents, understand their underlying issues and identify ways of supporting them.
The council will work with the community to design significant public realm improvements at Steamer Street and Egerton Court, building on previous work done to public spaces on Barrow Island, it said.
Jonathan Brook, leader of Westmorland and Furness Council and deputy chair of the Brilliant Barrow Board, said: “This investment from Brilliant Barrow will not only help to protect these buildings for the future, it will actively improve the standard of living they offer to residents and demonstrate to landlords the benefits of doing such work themselves.
“The benefits will be felt more widely in the community too as the improved street scene provides a positive impact upon the wellbeing of people in the local area.
“Health and wellbeing outcomes within Barrow are significantly worse than the national average, and for people growing up and living in Barrow Island the outcomes are among the worst in the area. This work can the catalyst for real change which will make a real difference to people’s lives.”
Working with Westmorland and Furness Council, the Brilliant Barrow Town Deal is using £25 million from the Government’s Towns Fund to deliver a suite of ambitious projects to help transform the town for future generations.
Brilliant Barrow’s Housing Market Renewal project was set up with the aims of improving the conditions of housing and commercial stock in Barrow, delivering more energy efficient homes and delivering positive health and wellbeing impacts for the households of improved properties.
Steve Cole, CIO and operational improvement director at BAE Systems and chair of the Brilliant Barrow Town Deal Board, said: “This is an exciting project that will be hugely beneficial for people, the wider community and for the environment.
“I look forward to seeing the work get under way so that the positive impacts can be felt as soon as possible.”
