Free Insulation Scheme Set to Turn Up the Heat in Loughborough

A £1.1 MILLION pound insulation and heating scheme is set to slash energy bills for hundreds of Shelthorpe residents.

The Hug Your Home Zone project, which begins next month, will potentially shave hundreds of pounds off annual heating bills in around 800 eligible homes which will be offered free insulation and heating improvements.

Charnwood Borough Council is investing £220,000 into the scheme with E.ON, one of the UK’s leading energy companies, providing the rest.

A special open day is being held for residents at The Good Shepherd Church Rooms, Park Road, Shelthorpe, Loughborough, LE11 2HJ, on Wednesday, February 28, from 1pm till 6pm to explain more about the scheme and the range of energy improvements on offer.

Councillor Jane Hunt, the Council’s Cabinet member for Housing, said: “This incredible project sounds almost too good to be true – but we want to assure residents that it is the real deal.

“It highlights the commitment of the Council and Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing (CNH) in providing tenants and residents with well-insulated energy efficient properties. This fantastic offer is also available to private homeowners who can sign up and also benefit. We must stress that this is only open to a specific area of Shelthorpe.

“Providing energy efficient housing throughout Charnwood is one of our key priorities. It is excellent news that plans are in place to modernise fuel systems and upgrade wall and loft insulation in eligible homes across Shelthorpe.”

The Hug Your Home Zone project is being managed by Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing and Charnwood Borough Council, with the construction company Frank Haslam Milan and energy provider E.ON.

Jon Kirby, energy efficiency manager at E.ON, said: “We’re committed to getting homes energy fit and this is a great example of councils, communities and companies getting together to help people lower their bills and reduce our effect on the planet.

“By tackling whole communities in such a way we can really start to make a difference and build energy efficiency into our everyday lives.”

Susan Taylor, chief executive officer at Charnwood Neighbourhood Housing, said: “This is a government programme which encourages gas and electricity suppliers to work with social housing providers in order to deliver energy saving measures to low income areas of the UK. We are working with the energy provider E.ON on the project zone in Shelthorpe. E-ON will be providing up to 100% of the project’s funding to designated properties – there will be no cost for tenants. And private homeowners in the areas can also benefit from up to 100% discounts on similar insulation work.

“The work is a 'whole house' approach and focuses on installing new energy efficient boilers, fitting external wall insulation and laying loft insulation in all homes that are eligible. The work will help reduce energy bills, make our residents homes more comfortable and enhance our community.

“Around a third of your home’s heat is lost through uninsulated walls. Fitting external wall insulation will help residents save money on their energy bills, as well as keeping them warmer and more comfortable.

“Installing loft insulation is one of the quickest ways to make a home more energy efficient. Around a quarter of your heat could be escaping through uninsulated loft space, so this will make a real difference.”

The open day informing residents about the project on February 28 is the first stage of the project. Following this, letters will be sent informing them if they qualify for the work to be done. After the letter, face-to-face meetings will be arranged with representatives from the building contractor Frank Haslam Milan, the Council’s Decent Homes contractor, which will carry out the work.

Work on properties is scheduled to begin on March 5, 2012, and will last for five months.

For more information visit www.cnh.org.uk. To find out if you are eligible for this scheme, call 01509 632 539 or email: housing.investment@cnh.org.uk