Swansea set to invest £59m in new homes and refurbishment

Swansea Council has announced plans to invest £59m in building new homes and improving hundreds of others.

The cabinet will meet on 18 February to discuss the proposals, which include spending more than £7m during 2021-22 building a new generation of homes including in Hillview Crescent and West Cross.

In addition, £16m is also being earmarked to insulate and weatherproof hundreds of existing homes making them warm and efficient.

The council will also trial the introduction of renewable technologies to selected properties as part of its ambitions to make home more efficient, reduce household costs and reduce carbon emissions.

This will be an opportunity to further develop local skills and expertise in renewable low carbon technologies.

Funding for the new homes and the upgrades for existing homes is coming from the rents paid by tenants, Welsh Government grants and HRA borrowing. None of the spending is from the council tax.

‘Better homes for our residents is one of the critical building blocks of creating a better future for children, for families and for our city,’ said cabinet member for homes and energy, Cllr Andrea Lewis.

‘Despite the pandemic we have continued with our house-building and home improvement programmes because better homes improve people’s health, affordable homes that are energy efficient helps reduce poverty and together they contribute to happier communities.

‘Over the last few years there has been a huge investment worth hundreds of millions of pounds into making sure the homes we own are in good shape and fit for the future under the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.

‘In the coming year further investment of an estimated £59m will mean hundreds of families will benefit from improvements to their homes.

‘Money is also being earmarked for other projects including electrical re-wiring and weather-proofing where needed as well as general environmental improvements.’

Photo Credit – JillWellington (Pixabay)