Member Article

North East Energy Schemes Boost Employment

Households across Teesside are not the only people to benefit from two multi-million pound fuel poverty projects, with work also being created for hundreds of people through the initiatives.

The GoWarm Gresham and GoWarm Parkfield schemes are successfully installing energy efficiency measures in 2300 homes across Middlesbrough and Stockton, leading to work being created for more than 500 people.

The schemes, run by Jarrow-based fuel poverty specialist Community Energy Solutions (CES), has not just seen the company increase its own staff numbers by creating 20 posts but has also created work for a number of contractors across the region.

The Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) projects are the largest of their kind currently underway in the UK and are continuing until spring 2013.

This includes 1100 properties in the Gresham area of Middlesbrough and 1200 properties across Stockton’s Parkfield, Mill Lane, Newtown and Town Centre wards

In both cases eligible properties are being offered a combination of free energy efficiency measures, such as external wall insulation and new heating systems, which are expected to lower their fuel bills and cut carbon emissions by more than 260.000 tonnes per annum overall.

This has led to on-going work for CES’ own employees, particularly its experienced assessors and surveyors, along with its specially appointed team of North East- based installers and contractors, including AH Property Services, Edendene Construction Services Ltd, St Astier, Cleveland Scaffolding, John Gunn Scaffolding, ASI Ariels, AJ Security and BMS Glazing.

Karen Hindhaugh, Director of CES subsidiary GoWarm, said: “The GoWarm Parkfield and Gresham schemes have proven hugely beneficial over the past few months, not just for the homeowners but for the wider regional economy as a whole.

“Work has already been completed on more than 500 properties, but there is still plenty of work to come for our contractors and sub-contractors as they finalise the remaining households.”

The GoWarm Parkfield scheme, which is expected to cost around £6m, is being supported by Stockton Borough Council with funding from North Yorkshire-based Eggborough Power Ltd.

The £5m GoWarm Gresham scheme is being run in partnership with Middlesbrough Council, with its funding coming primarily from leading integrated power and gas company E. ON

Homes in both areas that do not qualify for free energy efficiency measures can still apply for heavily subsidised energy efficiency measures, including cavity wall and loft insulation, as well as free energy efficiency and benefits advice from GoWarm’s team of experienced assessors.

For more information visit www.gowarm.org.uk, call 01642 605130 or visit the GoWarm Parkfield office at Blue Post Yard, Stockton or search for GoWarm Parkfield on Facebook and Twitter.

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