Council houses in Acton receive ‘dramatic makeover’ as part of modernisation scheme

Over 100 homes on a local council estate have received a dramatic makeover as part of a major housing modernisation project taking place across the county borough.

The steel-framed ‘cubbitt’ houses in Acton have had external wall insulation installed on their outside walls. The insulation is designed to improve the energy efficiency of non-traditional properties which are typically known for being hard to heat.

Wrexham Council say that improving the energy efficiency of the houses will potentially see tenants make savings on their heating bills. The external wall insulation is also designed to improve the external appearance of the properties, as well as extend the life of the buildings by protecting the structures from the elements.

Properties on the estate have also been re-roofed, where required, as part of the scheme.

Local Member for Acton, Cllr Geoff Lowe, said the works have “made a huge difference to the local area.”

Cllr Lowe continued: “These properties where this work has been carries out look like brand new from the outside now and its helped to transform the look of these streets.

“With winter fast approaching, I’m delighted that work has now been completed to make these buildings better at holding in heat and I hope tenants here will be able to see savings on their energy bills over the next few months.

“Along with the other improvements that have been carried out over recent years, such as the kitchens and bathroom programme, and the new central heating systems which have been installed, this now means that council homes here have been modernised and made fit for the future which is very welcome news.”

The improvement works carried out in Acton feature as part of the extensive project which is underway to ensure we achieve the Welsh Government’s Welsh Housing Quality Standard by 2020.

A total of £56.4m is being invested on the whole improvements project in 2017/18. This is the third year we’ve broken the record for investing in housing improvements.

External wall insulation is being installed on over 1,600 properties across the county borough by 2020.

Lead Member for Housing, Cllr David Griffiths said: “This is the largest council house improvements project we’ve undertaken here for many decades and it’s fantastic to see all these thousands of homes finally being brought up to a high modern standard.”

“We’ve worked hard to go the extra mile with the quality of the work being carried out. We’ve added design features to the External Wall Insulation to add variation and improve the appearance and I think this has really made a difference.

“Tenants are also able to choose from a selection of high quality colours and designs when receiving their new kitchens and bathrooms. We want our tenants to have homes they can be proud of.

Cllr Griffiths continued: “There is still some work to be done and challenges to overcome but I’m pleased to see we are on track to achieve the standard and we’ll endeavour to maintain these high standards as work progresses.”

If you’d like to know more about the housing improvement work being carried out to achieve the Welsh Housing Quality Standard take a look at the council website