At Worthy Down Barracks, in Winchester, Amey and DIO teams are working in partnership to tackle the issue of damp and mould head on. The ambitious project, to tackle the issues, will see around 180 homes transformed from tired and draughty homes into warm, bright and modern places to live.
Since the programme began in February 2017, our teams have already refurbished just over 100 damp and cold properties and families are benefitting from roof replacements, including the removal of chimneys, extra loft insulation as required, window and door replacement, external wall insulation/coloured render and boiler replacements. Brand new bathrooms and kitchens have also been installed into many of the properties along with new, energy efficient boilers where required.
The teams have also installed aerating taps to the baths, shower heads and kitchens to help reduce water consumption. All these improvements have resulted in lower utility bills for the families.
Steven Noblett, Amey’s Senior Project Manager, is overseeing the works alongside Roy Parris, from Anglian Building Products, a local supply chain partner, and said: “The installation of double glazing and added insulation has not only provided families with a warm and cosy home, but has also helped with noise reduction. They also have the added benefit of knowing their home is much more secure than before. Add to that the external and internal insulation and you can see how these homes will enhance the lived experience of our Service families. In mid-terraced properties, families can expect fuel savings of £175 a year, while those living in end terraced and semi-detached homes can achieve a fuel saving of £260 per year.”
With major works such as this, it’s vital that the lines of communication between the teams and the residents are kept open. Families are given advance notice of all the dates and times of when work is scheduled and are able to re-arrange some of the visits around their work, school and other family commitments. The team also encourage them to visit the Family Forums and drop into the site office if they have any questions or would just like to learn more about the project.
In addition, around £180,000 has been spent on upgrading three local play parks with safe, new equipment and flooring and new fencing has been installed alongside the main road into camp. The teams are also looking forward to updating the local church community centre which will further benefit the local community.
Since 2017, more than £2.7 million has been spent on improving the lived experience at Worthy Down with a further £4 million spend planned for the next phase where a further 70 properties have been identified for refurbishment. The Worthy Down project forms part of an ongoing External Wall Insulation (EWI) scheme running throughout the MOD estate that focuses on properties with poor thermal efficiency.