A major £5.5 million investment by Newcastle’s Labour-led council to make homes in West Denton greener and cheaper to heat has won a top regional award.
The ambitious project has transformed heating at Denton Park House and Hilltop House, replacing the tower blocks’ old gas-powered central heating system with lower-carbon ground source heat pumps.
Delivered by Newcastle City Council in partnership with Your Homes Newcastle and EQUANS, the scheme forms part of Labour’s wider programme to improve the energy efficiency of council homes and reduce Newcastle’s carbon emissions.
The project completely removed the gas supply from both tower blocks and replaced it with a modern ground source heating system.
As well as producing lower carbon emissions than traditional gas systems, the new heat pumps are more efficient to run, helping residents benefit from lower energy bills at a time when household costs remain under pressure.
Residents have also received smart thermostats, giving them greater control over their heating and hot water and allowing the system to better reflect the way they use energy in their homes.
The scale and quality of the West Denton improvements have now been recognised at the North East Energy Efficiency Awards, where the scheme was named Regional Large Scale Project of the Year.
The award recognises major projects involving more than £250,000 of energy-efficiency improvements and also takes account of the quality of the work and customer service provided to residents.
The West Denton scheme is part of Newcastle Labour’s wider drive to improve the city’s housing stock while reducing the carbon emissions produced by homes and buildings.
Denton and Westerhope Labour councillor Dan Greenhough said: “This £5.5 million investment is making a practical difference for residents in West Denton – improving their homes, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and helping to bring down the cost of heating them.
“It’s fantastic to see the work at Denton Park House and Hilltop House recognised with this regional award.
“For Labour, tackling climate change must go hand in hand with improving people’s homes and helping households with their everyday costs. This project shows how investment in greener technology can deliver real benefits for local residents.”