Two blocks of flats owned by Stevenage Borough Council are set to benefit from improved insulation and new solar panels after planning permission was granted.
The three-storey buildings on Buckthorn Avenue are visible from the roundabout near Asda and Stevenage fire station, and are home to twelve flats each.
A raft of changes will be made to improve the energy efficiency of the buildings. Doors and windows will be replaced, insulation in the loft and to external walls will be improved, and solar panels will be installed on the roof. A grey rendering will alter the appearance of the buildings.
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Once the changes are made, the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of the properties will increase to at least a C, reducing energy bills for residents and reducing the carbon emissions of the buildings.
The project is being part-funded by the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
In Wave 1 of the Fund, Stevenage Borough Council was awarded £1.8m to upgrade around 400 social homes in Stevenage that currently have an EPC rating of D or lower.
The decision to grant planning permission to the proposals was made by Stevenage Borough Council's planning committee at a meeting on Tuesday, January 9. Responsibility for the decision had been referred to the committee because the council had made the application itself.
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