ALMOST £15 million worth of improvement and maintenance work for council-owned homes has got the green light.

Blackburn Council housing committee approved a £14.65 million package of essential repairs and improvements for more than 2,500 homes.

Key projects include external repairs and painting for 1,196 homes, improved heating systems for 528, and structural repairs for 430.

Other plans include kitchen and bathroom refurbishments, major external works to 171 homes on the Galligreaves estate and modernisation of 32 on Bennington Street estate.

Councillors were told the emphasis was on substantial planned maintenance and programmed improvements, though money had also been allocated to the day-to-day repairs service.

Considerable investment would be made in replacing heating boilers and providing new central heating systems.

Essential repairs would be carried out to multi-storey tower blocks and more investment would be made in structural repairs, roofing, damp-proof courses and replacement of lead water pipes.

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