Insulation project launched in Leeds amidst cost of living crisis

Over a thousand residents living in ‘back-to-back’ housing will have their homes insulated through a project launched by Leeds Council.

The Transformation Insulation to Back-to-Back (TIBB) project is part of the local authority’s £100m investment in decarbonising council housing.

750 properties in five ward area are set to benefit from the project which is due to be completed in March next year, with external wall insulation, new roofs and other energy efficiency technologies fitted.

Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for environment and housing, said: ‘I am delighted to see this project come to fruition after a successful pilot in Armley last year. Not only will residents living in these properties have warmer homes, but it will also help improve the visual appeal of the properties and help to regenerate the local areas.

‘Similar projects already carried out in other parts of the city clearly indicate how external wall insulation can transform very deprived neighbourhoods in a way that low carbon heating alone would not.  Improving the thermal efficiency of homes is absolutely vital given the current cost of living crisis and increases in energy bills that the country is facing.’

The project will help the council reach ambitions to become a net-zero city by 2030, will fix damp issues in properties and make them more affordable to run.

£5.2m of funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and £6.1m from the council’s Housing Revenue Account has gone towards the scheme.

Several properties in the Armley area have already been transformed and previous investment has made the average council home warmer and more efficient than the average privately-owned home in Leeds.

Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: ‘Leeds City Council’s ambition is for Leeds to become the first carbon neutral city in the UK and this significant investment will help us work towards achieving that. Everyone deserves to live in a warm home which they can afford to heat, and decarbonising homes helps residents save money and protects people from falling ill with cold-related illnesses. The project will also help to create local jobs, supports inclusive growth and forms part of the council’s commitment to invest £100million in decarbonising council housing.’

Photo by Greg Rosenke