Revamp for homes in rundown areas of Wolverhampton
Hundreds of houses in rundown areas across Wolverhampton could be revamped and made more energy efficient under new council plans revealed today.
A row of nine homes, in Cannock Road, Park Village, have been selected to undergo refurbishment and repairs costing a total of £263,000 under the scheme.
Work will include wall insulation, new roofs, guttering and windows, central heating and repairs to chimney stacks.
The houses were originally earmarked as part of a revamp of the Park Village area, which is one of the most deprived parts of the city.
Of the 402 homes in the area, 94 per cent were built before 1919. But chiefs today revealed they want to roll out the project across the city and are currently identifying other potential sites.
Council bosses want to make the properties more energy efficient and watertight.
Wall insulation and central heating at the Cannock Road properties will be match-funded by energy firms.
Regeneration chief Councillor Peter Bilson said: "While this work is part of the Park Village improvement scheme it is a model that we want to apply to other priority areas.
"Where there are houses in a poor condition we want to work with the owners and landlords and try to get them up to scratch."
But he warned the council did not have the cash to 'roll out the scheme on a large scale' in the coming year, but instead would try to secure external funding.
He said the properties in Cannock Road were chosen to improve the visual impact of a main gateway to the city.
A council report states that the scheme "is likely to be the catalyst for improving the housing stock and helping to restore confidence in the fragile housing market in the area".
The council is working with private landlords at five of the houses in Cannock Road to make sure they are up to a decent standard.
The council and Wolverhampton Homes are continuing to upgrade properties under the Decent Homes programme. Wodensfield Tower and William Bentley Court, in Wednesfield, were put on the market when a total of £14 million was invested to refurbish 228 flats. The council also revealed plans to spend £12m fixing roofs.
