Taunton homes to get £5m central government grant
Homes England has awarded £5m grant from the Affordable Homes Programme to Somerset Council. This is to support a project launched by Somerset West & Taunton Council. The North Taunton Woolaway Project is gradually replacing Woolaway Homes built in the aftermath of the Second World War.
They were built for speed to solve a post war housing crisis and were never intended as a long term solution. They were built using prefabricated reinforced concrete panels instead of traditional brick. Unfortunately until SWT started their project, they had been in situ for over 70 years.
The project will see the homes replaced with modern replacement homes, alongside new affordable homes. That project is already well under way. However central government have now stepped in and will contribute £5m towards the project.
In total, 162 energy- inefficient Woolaway homes will be demolished and replaced with 229 council homes for affordable rent. Homes England (part of central government) will be funding 66 of these new build replacement homes. The remaining homes will be funded by Somerset.
Commenting on the grant,
Cllr Federica Smith-Roberts, Lead Member for Communities, Housing and Culture said: “I’m thrilled about the impact this grant will have on the North Taunton Woolaway Project. This funding represents a tangible commitment to improving the lives of our tenants, allowing us to build high quality, low energy homes with the blend of properties our community needs. It allows us to progress our North Taunton regeneration scheme which, through improved housing, address the social and health challenges parts of our community face as well as providing much needed new homes at affordable rent.”