Around £100m is to be spent on improving council homes across Chesterfield over the next five years – as part of Chesterfield Borough Council’s continued commitment to enhance the borough’s housing offer and meet the needs of residents.
Councillors agreed to the ambitious Housing Capital Programme at a meeting of full council on Wednesday 22 February.
The Housing Capital Programme sets out the investment priorities for 2023/24 and the medium-term investment through to 2027/28 to ensure that the council can continue to meet the decent homes standard, further improve the energy efficiency of its houses, and provide good quality, affordable and accessible homes for people in Chesterfield.
Modernisation and refurbishment of the council’s existing homes continues to be a key focus of the council’s programme of works throughout 2023/2024.
Over the next 12 months, the council will be delivering improvements to kitchens and bathrooms, carrying out roof and window replacements, and making necessary adaptations to properties to help older people and disabled people to remain living independently in their homes.
Further fire safety improvements will also be made and additional investment will be made to help tackle damp and mould in homes.
The ongoing block refurbishment programme will continue, with more blocks of flats set to benefit from a facelift. Environmental works will also see fences, gates and footpaths upgraded to improve the overall appearance of local neighbourhoods.
As well as investing in its existing properties, the council recognises the need to build and purchase new homes to help meet the increasing need for good quality affordable housing in Chesterfield and replace homes sold through the Right to Buy scheme.
As part of this commitment, the council has committed more than £30m to increasing the housing supply across the borough. This includes plans to build 96 new homes, with housing developments at Middlecroft, Westwood Avenue and Markham Court.
An additional 35 new-build homes are also set to be purchased by the council from developers on Newhall Road and Linacre Road.
In response to the climate emergency that was declared by the council in July 2019, the council is also committed to ensuring that all of its homes are energy efficient – allowing Chesterfield to become a low carbon, resilient and sustainable borough. This commitment will be reflected within all capital projects.
Councillor Chris Ludlow, cabinet member for housing, said: “Our aim as always is to enhance Chesterfield’s housing offer so that people of all ages can find, and live in a quality home they can afford. Our capital programme shows that we are committed to improving our housing stock to ensure it meets the needs of the people of Chesterfield, as well actively contributing to the climate change agenda by ensuring all homes are energy efficient.
“Investing in affordable and social housing has never been as important, so it is vital that we continue to enhance the borough’s housing needs and supply affordable homes.”
