WDH pledges to spend £150 million on improving homes

The housing association, which manages over 32,000 homes in and around Wakefield, has earmarked the cash following the approval of its three-year reinvestment programme by its board.

Over £13.8m will be spent on sustainability projects to make homes more energy efficient to help mitigate the impact of well-documented energy price hikes.

Over £68m has been earmarked for improvements to existing homes, including new kitchens, bathrooms, roofs, boilers and heating systems.

More than £14.3m has also set aside to improve the outdoor spaces on estates across the district, making them more attractive, safer places to live and over £37m has been earmarked for safety and compliance improvements, including enhancements to both high rise and low rise buildings, something that remains a top priority.

Andy Wallhead, chief executive at WDH, said: “This is a significant investment in our homes and our communities. With the ever-increasing cost of living and rocketing fuel prices it’s important that we do as much as we can to make people’s homes safe, warm and energy efficient.

"We have a number of initiatives to help people to access financial support when they need it but it makes sense for us to tackle the issue at its core and improve our homes where we can.

"Housing organisations such as ours have a significant role to play in tackling climate change, not only for the immediate benefits our sustainability efforts offer our tenants, but to contribute to tackling the global crisis.

"I am very pleased to say that our efforts to secure national funding have been successful and local people will benefit.”

District councillor, Jacquie Speight, who is also chair of WDH’s board, said: “Over the last two years everyone has been spending more time at home and it’s important to us that those spaces are positive places to be, where people can feel safe, secure and happy.

"Our vision is to create confident communities and this investment, with support from the board and the commitment from our employees, will help us to continue to achieve that.”