North Lanarkshire tenants to benefit from £253m housing investment

An ambitious five-year investment plan worth £253 million is set to deliver significant improvements to council homes across North Lanarkshire.North Lanarkshire Council said the investment will benefit tenants by cutting energy costs and making their homes more comfortable to live in.Some of the key elements of the budget include the replacement of all kitchens and bathrooms by 2021 and delivering more energy efficient heating.Approval for this Capital Programme Budget was given at a recent communities and housing committee and this year’s budget totals over £68m.The budget reaffirms the council’s commitment to maintaining the Scottish Housing Quality Standard and sets out its long term investment plans for its properties.The energy efficiency of homes is being improved to the tune of £21m and older boilers, radiators and pipework are being replaced and moving towards carbon technologies. The council is also continuing to roll out its window and door replacement programme and are fitting modern, double glazed, energy efficient systems.Roofing and rendering is another area for investment with over £14m being allocated to carry out major repairs and re-roofing.A further area of spend includes home safety and security. The council is spending almost £0.5m on security entry systems and lead pipe removal.Plans to replace all kitchens and bathrooms by 2021 continue to progress, with £11m earmarked for this year’s programme.