Latest news with #HousingRevenueAccount
The Courier
4 days ago
- Business
- The Courier
New council sheltered housing planned in Dunfermline as progress made on another city site
A new council sheltered housing complex is planned for Dunfermline. Fife Council has signed an agreement with Campion Homes for 40 sheltered homes on empty land between Evershed Drive and Aberdour Road. Work on the £9.23 million development, next to Canmore Primary School, is expected to begin in July with a completion date of summer 2027. There will be a mix of one and two-bedroom flats, including 13 wheelchair properties. Funding has come from the Scottish Government's Affordable Housing Grant and Fife Council's Housing Revenue Account capital budget. Councillor Judy Hamilton, housing spokesperson, said: 'I'm delighted that in the face of a housing emergency, we are continuing to deliver our ambitious affordable housing programme, one of the country's largest social house-building programmes, while the pressure on housing services continues to be relentlessly high.' Meanwhile, Fife Council says it expects work on 45 new homes at Bellyeoman to be completed by summer 2027. It comes after the local authority appointed CCG (Scotland) Ltd the contract to complete the work, which was halted when previous contractor First Endeavour LLP went into receivership in March 2024. CCG (Scotland) Ltd has also been given the contract to finish 51 new homes at New Flockhouse in Lochore, while Clark Contracts Ltd has taken on the contract for 72 new homes at Lochgelly Road in Lumphinnans, as part of the same project. Work on all these sites is expected to resume in June.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
£8m funded for city estate to get new heat network
A council has secured £8m from the government towards installing a new heat network on a city estate, which it says will reduce energy costs for over 1,000 residents. All of the properties on the Heath Town Estate in Wolverhampton are supplied with heat via an "outdated" district heating network. City of Wolverhampton Council said it was first installed around 55 years ago and has undergone minor upgrades since. The estate's existing boiler house was designed to use coal and is "no longer fit for purpose", according to the council, with its concrete panelling "starting to fail". Works on the new heat network are expected to start in April and last for two years. The funding for the work has come from the government's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero as part of its heat network efficiency scheme. It will contribute towards the £19.5m works, with the remainder coming from the council's Housing Revenue Account programme. The council said the new system would improve efficiency through reduced primary energy consumption, network return temperature and pumping energy costs, following upgrades to the network's control systems, replacement of pumps and pipework, and the installation of new heat interface units for residents. Deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for city housing, councillor Steve Evans, said: "The council's transformative regeneration of Heath Town has seen extensive demolition of vacant buildings followed by 40 new council homes – the first developed on the estate since the 1960s. "This is just the first phase of a total of more than 150 new council homes to be built on the estate over the coming years – and is in addition to existing residential blocks undergoing major improvements by Wolverhampton Homes. All new homes will be connected to the district heating system. "It is important the right infrastructure is in place to support this rejuvenated neighbourhood and this funding from government will enable us to put in place a heat network that is fit for purpose and ultimately reduces energy costs for residents." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. City of Wolverhampton Council
BBC News
26-03-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Wolverhampton estate to get new multi-million pound heat network
A council has secured £8m from the government towards installing a new heat network on a city estate, which it says will reduce energy costs for over 1,000 of the properties on the Heath Town Estate in Wolverhampton are supplied with heat via an "outdated" district heating of Wolverhampton Council said it was first installed around 55 years ago and has undergone minor upgrades estate's existing boiler house was designed to use coal and is "no longer fit for purpose", according to the council, with its concrete panelling "starting to fail". Works on the new heat network are expected to start in April and last for two funding for the work has come from the government's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero as part of its heat network efficiency will contribute towards the £19.5m works, with the remainder coming from the council's Housing Revenue Account council said the new system would improve efficiency through reduced primary energy consumption, network return temperature and pumping energy costs, following upgrades to the network's control systems, replacement of pumps and pipework, and the installation of new heat interface units for leader of the council and cabinet member for city housing, councillor Steve Evans, said: "The council's transformative regeneration of Heath Town has seen extensive demolition of vacant buildings followed by 40 new council homes – the first developed on the estate since the 1960s."This is just the first phase of a total of more than 150 new council homes to be built on the estate over the coming years – and is in addition to existing residential blocks undergoing major improvements by Wolverhampton Homes. All new homes will be connected to the district heating system."It is important the right infrastructure is in place to support this rejuvenated neighbourhood and this funding from government will enable us to put in place a heat network that is fit for purpose and ultimately reduces energy costs for residents." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Guardian
20-03-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Councils in England face ‘impossible decisions' to build or repair homes
Councils are having to 'make impossible decisions' between building new homes and repairing old ones due to increasing financial pressure, undermining the government's housebuilding targets, according to a survey of local authorities. The Local Government Association (LGA) found that less than half (38%) of councils were confident they would be able to invest in planned new-build housing programmes, even after raising social housing rents. At the same time, 57% were planning to cut spending on repairs and maintenance, and more than two-thirds were planning to cut spending on supervision and management of their housing stock. Adam Hug, the housing spokesperson for the LGA, said: 'The stark truth is that the existing level of funding means councils are having to make impossible decisions about maintaining existing housing stock and building more homes that the country seriously needs.' The survey of more than 100 local authorities found many councils were also having to choose between running their council housing fund into deficit or failing to meet legal repair obligations. This includes new requirements under Awaab's Law, requiring landlords to address health and safety issues in a specific timeframe. The survey found that council housing rents across the country are to increase, but fewer councils have the funds to invest in new housing developments, which may hamper government plans to build 1.5m homes over the next five years. Grace Williams, leader of Waltham Forest council and executive member for housing and regeneration at London Councils, said local authorities were facing a 'black hole in our social housing finances'. 'In Waltham Forest, we were the fourth largest council home builder in 2024, but like other local authorities, we're finding it harder to balance those two responsibilities [of building and maintaining],' she said. 'For the next five years, we're using £165m to invest in our current housing stock for improvements and safety. But we need to build more homes for people who are in housing need. 'The numbers are just going up, and it's difficult, because we need both things.' She said it was 'refreshing' to have a government talking about building housing but that councils need more investment if they're going to help deliver it. The LGA found that of those councils with a Housing Revenue Account (HRA), 72% said they were very or fairly likely to draw on reserves to balance their budget for 2025/26. An HRA is a ringfenced budget funded by council housing rent to be spent on housing maintenance and housebuilding. London Councils forecasted that boroughs will have to cut £264m from their social housing spending over the next four years to avoid their HRAs becoming insolvent. In September, an 'unprecedented coalition' of councils in England called for an emergency injection of £644m from the government to stabilise their housing accounts and prevent investment in new homes being delayed or cancelled. The government is consulting on a five-year rent settlement for social housing, but many local authorities said it was not enough – just over half of respondents said they were confident this settlement would allow them to balance their budgets. The LGA called on the government to instead plan a 10-year rent settlement, and use the upcoming spending review to announce extra funding. 'While many councils see a proposed five-year settlement as a step in the right direction, there are concerns this is not long enough to give them the certainty they need to ramp up their new-build housing programmes,' said Hug. 'The situation is untenable and unsustainable, and without urgent action, councils – and the communities and people they support – will be severely impacted.' A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: 'We understand the financial pressures councils are facing and we are determined to fix the foundations of the sector so we can deliver the biggest boost in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. 'That's why, despite the inheritance we have been left, we're giving councils £500m to help them deliver homes for families at risk of homelessness, and injecting an additional £800m into the Affordable Homes Programme to deliver thousands of new social and affordable homes.'
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scottish council approves £1.7 billion 'to revitalise towns'
A SCOTTISH council has agreed its biggest-ever capital investment programme to revitalise towns, schools, housing, roads, and community facilities. North Lanarkshire is set to commit £1.685 billion over the next five-years with the aim to attract new businesses and investment into the area. Councillor Jim Logue, leader of the council, hailed the investment as a 'transformational step' to improve infrastructure and town centres. 'This level of record-breaking funding is a transformational step to reshape North Lanarkshire and is like no other in Scotland,' said Logue. 'We are ensuring that our communities benefit from high-quality schools, improved transport links and revitalised town centres, making North Lanarkshire the place to live, learn, work, invest and visit.' The Strategic Capital Investment Programme 2024/25 to 2028/29 report was presented to councillors at a policy and strategy committee meeting earlier this week, and outlines key aims the council is seeking execute. The investment plan includes: £347 million for new town and community hubs, towards new projects in Abronhill, Glenboig and Ravenscraig £41m to improve schools, cultural spaces and leisure facilities, including a strategic review of swimming pools £95m for city deal infrastructure, including the East Airdrie Link Road £45m for town centre regeneration, with a focus on redeveloping Cumbernauld £37m to improve roads, bridges and flood defences £18m for parks, including the redevelopment of Strathclyde Park Watersports Centre £23m for digital and business system upgrades £13m to support local community boards and community asset transfers A key part of the investment programme is the Community Investment Fund (CIF), which has allowed the council to unlock additional funding for local regeneration. The fund is supported by a proportion of council tax increases. The council's Housing Revenue Account (HRA) capital programme will also see a further £829m invested in existing and new housing stock over the next five years. Logue added: 'This programme reflects our ambition to grow North Lanarkshire's economy. 'We are creating thriving schools, stronger businesses, and well-connected communities. The Community Investment Fund plays a vital role in ensuring we can continue to deliver these improvements, providing a sustainable way to invest in our future. 'This is about long-term sustainability. We are laying the foundations for future generations while creating jobs and boosting local businesses today.'
