Council Tenants in Wrexham Village to Receive Major Improvement Works to Their Properties

Council tenants in a Wrexham village are set to receive major improvement works to their properties.

Wrexham Council have recently started the process of installing External Wall Insulation on 52 non-traditional, Trusteel properties on Heol Bathafarn and Heol Gwenallt in Coedpoeth.

The properties include houses and six blocks of flats.

Unlike traditional brick houses, Trusteel properties are constructed using steel frames – meaning they are generally less efficient at holding in heat than traditional properties with cavity insulation.

Improvement works on the properties will involve installing a 100mm layer of insulation to the outside of all elevations, making the homes more energy efficient and cheaper to heat.

Installing insulation on the outside walls will also have the added benefit of improving the external appearance of properties which are several decades old in some cases.

Properties will also be re-roofed if required.

Tenants in Coedpoeth were given an opportunity to speak to council officers and contractors at an open day event held recently at the Plas Pentwyn Community Centre.

Local Member for Coedpoeth, Cllr Krista Childs, said: “This project will mean the properties will look like new, be cheaper to heat and will be fit for the future so it’s fantastic news for a number of tenants and their families.

“Work is expected to be completed in time for our tenants to be able to benefit from warmer homes and reduced fuel bills this winter.”

The improvement work is part of Wrexham Council’s ongoing project to ensure that all its council housing properties achieve the Welsh Government’s Welsh Housing Quality Standard by 2020.

Lead Member for Housing, Cllr Ian Roberts, said: “We are planning to install External Wall Insulation on all non-traditional properties in the County Borough by 2020. Work has already been completed on hundreds of properties, including recently in Cefn and Johnstown.

“A number of tenants have confirmed that they’ve seen reduced fuel bills as a result of the improved insulation. We’ve also tried to go the extra mile with the design work, adding brick slips and features, rather than just basic rendering.

“We’ve been able to transform the appearance of the properties to look like brand new, traditional houses and this has had such a positive impact on so many communities.

“I hope to see similar results in Coedpoeth as the work is completed.”

Over £52m is being invested into Wrexham Council’s housing stock in 2016/17. This includes a £7.5m Major Repairs Allowance grant, awarded by the Welsh Government to support local authorities achieving the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.

As well as External Wall Insulation, the improvement work will also include offering all properties in the County Borough new kitchens and bathrooms by 2020, if required to meet the standard. Other internal and external improvements such as electrical rewiring and central heating will also be carried out on properties where required.

More information on the housing improvement work being carried out to achieve the Welsh Housing Quality Standard can be found on the Council’s website.