Investment in housing as work on town homes nears completion
WEST Lancashire Borough Council is set to deliver an exciting housing investment programme that will provide new homes and ensure existing homes are warm, dry and have modern facilities.
Work is nearing completion on the new homes at Walmsley Drive, on the former Westec House site, in the heart of Ormskirk and is scheduled to finish in April 2019.
18 homes are for open sale, with 11 already reserved.
More details of the homes for sale can be found at www. walmsleydrive.co.uk and these will comprise of: ● Three two-bedroom terraced houses ● Eight two-bedroom semi-detached houses ● Six three-bedroom semidetached houses ● One three bedroom detached house
A further two-bedroom house will be available for shared ownership.
In Beechtrees, Digmoor, 36 new two-bedroom homes will be ready for new residents to move into from July of this year, helping to transform this part of Digmoor.
These will be retained by the Council to be rented as social housing.
The properties will be high quality homes for local people at affordable rents.
Council homes in Appley Bridge, Ashurst, Aughton, Banks, Burscough, Ormskirk, Skelmersdale, Up Holland, Westhead and Wrightington will see continued major investment programmes being delivered to homes in 2019/2020 which will benefit tenants and their families for years to come.
The daughter of one tenant whose home was recently rewired said: “We are very happy with the job as it was done very quickly and efficiently.
“The sub-contractor was excellent and they did such a good job of tidying up, you wouldn’t even know they had been in the house.”
Works in the 2019/20 programme include: ● Over 150 homes having quality replacement kitchens and a further 150 to get new bathrooms making properties, all in Up Holland, more modern and better-equipped for our tenants ● New roofs, fascias, gutters and rainwater pipes on around 400 homes, mostly in Ormskirk will make them even more secure against the elements ● Repairs on around 100 homes in Old Skelmersdale to external walls including much needed external insulation works ● 150 homes in Skelmersdale to benefit from new windows and doors which will help keep make the tenants homes even cosier ● Modern energy efficient heating systems being installed in over 250 homes in different parts of the Borough to help tenants keep warm through the winter months whilst lowering fuel bills and reducing carbon emissions ● Modern electrical systems being installed in around 250 homes in the Banks and Aughton areas ● Installing new LED lights and improving and updating electrics in communal areas in low rise flats across the Borough to make properties brighter and more secure
The work programmes are currently being developed by the Council’s Property Services Team and we will be informing tenants about the work to be carried out in their homes very soon.
Councillor Jennifer Forshaw, portfolio holder for Housing and Landlord Services, said: “Building homes that people need, revitalising our estates and improving existing Council homes are important Council projects.
“The authority is working hard to continue investing substantial amounts in its Council homes as well as building new ones to help improve the lives of tenants and make our homes and estates even nicer places to live.
“The Council is very excited about the projects to build new homes in Ormskirk and in Skelmersdale.
“The Beechtrees scheme will really help enhance this part of Digmoor.
“The Ormskirk scheme will provide 27 new homes, and the funds raised from the sale of homes will go towards supporting the Council’s capital programme and helping to meet our priorities.”
The Council’s Housing Account is funded from money raised through rents and service charges to provide services for Council tenants and leaseholders.