Our exciting plans to improve the energy efficiency of 200 of our homes in St Ives took a big step forward once we signed the Town Deal Funding Agreement.
The multi-million pound low carbon retrofit project will see 200 homes in St Ives undergo energy-efficient retrofit works, creating greener homes that are cheaper and warmer to live in.
As part of the Town Deal Agreement, we will also partner with local schools and colleges, to encourage young people to pursue renewable careers to address the need for more renewable careers in Cornwall.
Working alongside our community connector for the area, Keri Thomas, we are working alongside the secondary school to offer students insight into what it’s like to work for a housing association, investments into green careers and the rewarding aspect of helping home thousands of residents.
St Ives is the first area in Cornwall to have such a large-scale whole house retrofit programme, with skills and work experience embedded in the project, after being awarded over £866,500 from the Government's Town Deal Programme.
The energy efficient works include improving insulation, providing new windows and doors, installing solar panels and upgrading heating and hot water systems to improve the thermal efficiency of the buildings, and reduce drafts, heat loss, and the reliance on carbon-based heating systems.
Tim Wotten, Green Funding Manager for LiveWest, is excited to see the positive impact this will have on St Ives. He said: “This is fantastic news for the town of St Ives who will benefit from this funding and our support to encourage green careers.
“Our project will mean we can hopefully drive better energy efficiency in some of our homes in the town through affordable warmth which, in turn, will tackle fuel poverty.
“Through combining St Ives Towns Fund, LiveWest investment and government retrofit funding we are driving ahead with making St Ives one of the most energy efficient towns in Cornwall.
“We are already working with key stakeholders and other companies who, on the back of our Towns fund plans, are keen to invest and provide benefits and opportunities that extend well beyond just our homes and customers.”
St Ives Town Deal Board, in partnership with Cornwall Council, successfully bid for a town deal worth £19.9 million to support a range of projects that will contribute to the town’s regeneration and boost the local economy.
Nine projects in St Ives have been approved to share £19.9million from the UK Government’s Town Deal. These include plans to create a low carbon transport system, support local business and jobs, and develop new skills and supply chains, as well as provide new and transformed housing and community assets.
Find out more about our sustainability ambitions here.