More than 1,000 homes across East Lancashire are to be made more eco-friendly in a £10 million scheme by their social landlord Together Housing Group.

The cash comes from a £50m deal with the Royal Bank of Scotland.

The Blackburn-based organisation has been given the cash under its Green Housing Retrofit Loan pilot scheme.

The deal covers Together Housing's 38,000 properties across Yorkshire, Lancashire, and the North Midlands.

In East Lancashire, £10m will be spent on three 'greening' schemes in 2024/25 which will also lower tenants' energy bills.

They are:

  • The 'Light Retrofit Programme' involving the installation of loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and underfloor insulation in 700 properties across Darwen, Colne, Nelson and Barnoldswick;
  • The 'Deep Retrofit Programme' involving the installation of external wall insulation to non-traditional (solid wall) properties in 70 homes in Rossendale; and
  • The 'Air Source Heat Pump Programme' which will see the installation of air source heat pumps replacing gas boilers in 250 properties across Blackburn, Nelson, Colne and Rossendale.

The group is the first affordable housing association to secure funding of this nature under the Royal Bank of Scotland’s new Green Housing Retrofit Loan pilot scheme.

The deal will allow Together Housing Group (THG) to make proven sustainable retrofits such as the installation of ground and air source heat pumps as well as the replacement of cladding, roofs, and windows to its network of socially rented properties across more than 30 local authorities.

The investment will allow customers to benefit from a significant reduction in energy bills while lowering THG’s emissions across their property portfolio.

THG was established in 2011 following the merger of six existing housing associations.

Judith Cruickshank, chair of the Scotland board of RBS, said: “This deal is a landmark and we’re proud to be the first lender to provide such support to the UK’s social housing industry.

“Together Housing Group provides safe, comfortable – and importantly, affordable – homes to over 80,000 families and individuals across the north of England who are all set to benefit from this new investment."

Mark Dunford, executive director of finance at THG, said: “We’re proud of the progressive steps we’ve taken as an organisation so far towards achieving our ambitious Net Zero priorities and we are thrilled to be the first social housing association receive this valuable funding.

“Our Carbon Reduction strategy puts residents at the forefront as we strive to make essential retrofit adaptations to properties, ensuring they remain energy efficient for the benefit of current and future residents."