Our response to Government proposals to improve 100 housing estates in England.

Speaking to the BBC over the weekend, Prime Minister David Cameron said that Government is to spend £140m, with added money from the private sector, to demolish existing housing estates and rebuild homes that people feel they can have a real future in.

Commenting on the proposals, Neil Marshall, CEO of the National Insulation Association (NIA) said: “Whilst we support the Prime Minister’s proposals to improve housing estates in England we are concerned that the plans appear to focus purely on demolition and rebuilding.  Housing estates can be regenerated and transformed by upgrading the existing properties including the installation of attractive external wall insulation.  The cost of upgrading estates is significantly less than demolition and rebuilding which means more households could be helped with the money.  In addition, upgrading the existing buildings avoids the hassle and disruption of having to re-house the occupants which is associated with demolition and rebuilding.

“We would therefore urge the Prime Minister to reconsider the proposals and focus more of the investment on upgrading existing properties.”