Millions Invested In Improving Wandsworth’s Housing Estates
Council unveils programme of investment for homes around the borough
More than £6.5m will be spent on upgrading people’s homes and neighbourhoods including those living on the Patmore and Carey Gardens estates in Battersea, the Alton in Roehampton, the Ashburton in Putney, the Magdalen Park estate in Earlsfield and Wandsworth’s Morris Gardens estate.
The works range from new windows and roofs to new lifts, new heating and hot water systems and internal and external redecorations.
The council spends about £50m a year on repairs and improvements to its housing estates. This sustained level of investment, coupled with the high quality of landlord and management services provided by its housing department has resulted in a satisfaction score among Wandsworth Council tenants of 82 per cent - one of the highest approval ratings in the country.
Among the latest wave of new projects to get the green light is a £1.5m scheme to provide modern new kitchens and bathrooms at properties in Carey Gardens, A further £564,000 will be spent on sprucing up blocks on the neighbouring Patmore estate.
More than £1m will be invested in redecorations and window repairs at the following blocks on the Alton estate - Blendworth, Cadnam, Dunhill, Eashing, Grayswood, Hilsea, Longmoor, Westmark and Witley Points.
Just over £1.3m will be spent on external decorations and repairs to council properties in Welham Road, Tooting; Laverstoke Gardens, Portswood Place, Mount Angelus Road and Danebury Avenue in Roehampton; Moreton House in Earlsfield; Arnal Crescent and Bell Drive in West Hill; All Saints Court, Lurline Gardens and Queenstown Road in Battersea, plus Minstead Gardens and Sherfield Gardens in Roehampton.
Nearly £415,000 will be invested at McCarthy Court in Battersea where individual heating and hot water systems will be installed to replace the existing communal boiler and central heating system.
Properties in Brightman Road and Fieldview on the Magdalen Park estate will benefit from new roofs worth £632,000 while people living in Morris Gardens will see new roofs and windows installed as part of a £733,000 scheme. And residents at Doris Emmerton Court in Battersea will have a new lift fitted as part of a £164,000 improvement programme.
Housing spokesman Cllr Paul Ellis said:
“The council has a long and sustained record of investment in local housing estates to ensure that tenants and leaseholders live in good quality accommodation.
“Each year the town hall spends around £50m on improving and maintaining our estates. There is a continuous programme of works to upgrade roofs, windows, lifts, entry-call systems, CCTV, heating systems, kitchens, bathrooms and communal areas.
“As a result of this ongoing investment, Wandsworth was able to meet the Government’s target of reaching the decent homes standard for all its 33,000 properties a full five years before the deadline.
“It is by providing decent homes, having a programme of continuous investment and improvement, and by completing repairs quickly and efficiently that has led 82 per cent of our tenants to say they are satisfied with the landlord services they receive.”
July 4, 2014