Money secured for carbon busting project

Dudley Council has been awarded £1.65m through the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Net Zero Neighbourhood Fund.

It is working with Equans on the community-based pilot project, which will focus on more than 300 homes in the Brockmoor area.

The project will trial an area-based approach, which will be looking at retrofitting homes with energy efficient technology and making green spaces, public buildings and transport links more sustainable.

The aim is to create a low carbon community, which offers financial benefits through energy savings.

Some of the measures used could include retrofitting loft, cavity and solid wall insulation, wider energy schemes such as and solar PV schemes, electric vehicle street charging points, community food growing initiatives and nature-based solutions such as green roofs.

Dudley Council will soon start a consultation about the proposals with residents and the community in the selected area. 

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said:

This is a fantastic opportunity to make big changes in Brockmoor to benefit our residents and the wider community. I am delighted we are the first area in the region to be granted funding under this scheme.

This project is about thinking outside the box and looking at how we can collectively reduce our carbon emissions across a wider area and save money for our residents.

We all know the seriousness of the climate crisis and the need to make changes to the way we live. This is about making changes on a community-wide scale to have a greater impact.

We’re really excited to get this pilot project off the ground and we hope if it proves successful, we’ll be able to roll it out to other areas.

Councillor Laura Taylor-Childs, cabinet member for housing and communities, said:

Brockmoor has been selected as the chosen area for this trial as we know there is already strong community engagement here.

We also recognise it has some of the highest levels of fuel poverty in the area but has homes which could be improved with relative ease.

There are also businesses we could potentially work with to create energy saving schemes on a larger scale.

For it to succeed, we are reliant on the co-operation of residents and we will be liaising with those who are invited to take part in the scheme in the coming weeks.

Louise Alter, energy innovation manager for EQUANS UK & Ireland, said:

The energy transition, coupled with the fuel crisis and rising cost of living, means this project is more pertinent than ever.

For the past few years, EQUANS has been progressing plans for town wide energy systems that would not only revolutionise how we use energy, combatting carbon emissions, but would support in tackling fuel poverty.

We are pleased to be working with Dudley and WMCA to bring these plans to life and make a lasting impression for the community.