Esh Construction funds energy-saving upgrades for South Bank Community Land Trust homes

Two properties which were classed as ‘uninhabitable’ have received energy efficient improvements as a result of funding donated by Esh Construction.

Located in South Bank’s Edward Street, the void properties were undergoing refurbishment work to bring them back into use. Led by South Bank Community Land Trust, the trust was keen to see improvements to the energy rating of each home to reduce the cost of gas and electricity bills for future tenants.

Working in partnership with Thirteen Group to identify the project, Esh Construction pledged more than £18,000 to fund the energy-saving improvements and work completed in October.

Both properties have received full heating systems, loft insulation and an insulated loft hatch. Esh’s funding combined with an additional donation from Thirteen, also enabled the installation of solar photovoltaic panels across both houses.

Within one property it was identified that the bathroom would suffer significant heat loss and condensation issues due to lack of insulation, therefore ceiling upgrade works have also been completed to achieve the required efficiencies.

Mark Binns, operations director at Esh Construction, said: “This is a fantastic and much-needed initiative given the ongoing cost of living crisis as well as the urgent need for us all to reduce our energy usage and live more sustainably.

“We are working nearby these properties on a new build project for Thirteen, and as part of our social value promises, we pledged to support and fund a local community initiative. As a local contractor, we are proud to have played our part in turning these houses into affordable homes once again.”

The full renovation of the two homes has been delivered by local charity, South Bank Community Land Trust, and supported by partners, Thirteen and Redcar and Cleveland Council. With funding from its partners and Homes England, the innovative scheme will unlock the potential of empty homes across South Bank by bringing them back into use, supporting the regeneration and sustainability of the area.

Ian Jeffrey, board member for South Bank Community Land Trust, said: “We have been working for over five years to bring these empty homes back into use, and the refurbishment programme was designed carefully to ensure our tenants heating bills are kept as low as possible. This contribution from Esh has enabled us to take our improvements to another level, through the installation of solar panels. Our new tenants should now be able to afford to heat their homes, despite the ongoing cost of living crisis.”

Lyndsey Coe, Thirteen’s neighbourhood development manager, said: “We’re thrilled that through our work in the community we could connect Esh Construction with South Bank Community Land Trust, which has led to this much-needed donation towards energy improvements on these properties, helping save the tenant’s money on their future energy bills. This excellent scheme is supporting the community to provide affordable housing through bringing long-term empty properties back into use.”

Esh Construction is working within the Redcar Road area of South Bank delivering 28 new bungalows for affordable rent on behalf of Thirteen. The new homes are part a larger housing-led regeneration programme ongoing throughout the area and is required to meet the needs of an ageing population.