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Super Efficient Housing

Durham Road property in Gateshead

St Astier has been set the challenge of bringing a three storey mid-terraced house up to 21st century standards of comfort and low running costs. The property, which has stood empty for nearly ten years and was in a poor state of repair, has none of the energy saving features we take for granted in modern homes.

The house, on Durham Road, Gateshead is being refurbished as part of the Bridging NewcastleGateshead, Housing Market Renewal [HMR] pathfinder, which is funded by Central Government. It is one of four properties in a pilot project to bring problem, long-term empty houses back into use. This project has also set out to assess the most efficient ways of improving the thermal values of hard to treat, Victorian and Edwardian properties, helping to make them attractive and comfortable homes for local families to live in.

Gateshead Council’s target for the finished house is for super energy efficiency which means introducing a vast range of measures to reduce heat-loss and minimise the property’s carbon foot-print.

As well as a new roof with more than 400mm thickness of insulation, the property will benefit from new A-rated thermally efficient PVCu windows, new insulated ground floors and heavily insulated internal walls built inside the existing front and rear walls, to minimise heat loss.

Gateshead Councillor, David Napier, Cabinet spokesman for Housing, said: “This property forms part of a huge housing-led renewal programme. For the people who live alongside it, and who have had to endure years of slow deterioration, its refurbishment is extremely welcome.

“We have identified a large number of homes in the area where fairly simple improvements could make a big difference to the area, but there are also some properties like this one where a much more radical approach is needed.

“We are confident that the refurbishment of this property will not only improve the appearance of Durham Road, it will help put a bit of pride back into the area. And that’s good news for everyone.”

The work to bring empty properties back into use will complement existing regeneration activity which is being carried out in key locations across Gateshead. It will be delivered by a partnership of Gateshead Council, Newcastle City Council and Bridging NewcastleGateshead (BNG).

Posted on 27 April 2009 by Phil Brown and filed under .

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