Over 700 homes in estates in Bunhill are set to benefit from cheaper heat as a new green heating scheme gets the go ahead.
Details of the initiative, which is expect to start working in 2012, will be on show at the St Luke’s Centre, 90 Central Street, EC1V 8AJ on Thursday 17 February between 2pm and 9pm.
The local energy and heat network will take the heat produced from locally generated electricity and heat hot water, which which will be pumped into flats in Stafford Cripps, Redbrick and St Luke’s estates, as well as to Finsbury Leisure Centre and Ironmonger Row Baths.
Estate residents will see cheaper heating bills when the network is complete, and not need work or new pipes in their homes.
The new generation initiative was completely grant funded under the previous Labour Government, meaning that neither tenants nor leaseholders will have to pay for the work.
Commenting on the new heating system, Bunhill’s Labour Councillors, Troy Gallagher, Robert Khan and Claudia Webbe, said:
“We are on the side of people in Bunhill. This initiative means lower heating bills for low-income families in Bunhill. Times are tough at the moment and that makes it especially good news that warming your home will be easier.
“The only sad thing is that, with the new Tory Lib Dem Government cuts, it will be harder to get the investment for this kind of local energy generation in future.”
Cllr Paul Smith, Islington Council’s executive member for environment, said: “We’re on the side of residents and want to help give them cheaper, greener energy for their homes.
“The heating network will bring lower heating bills to hundreds of residents on estates, at less cost to the environment.
“This is a tried and tested technology across the world and we look forward to bringing it to Islington so local people can benefit.”
Estates will keep their back-up boilers and mains electricity connection so they are not short of hot water or power during maintenance, busy periods, or in the rare case of a failure.
More information is available from the Council’s website www.islington.gov.uk/heatnetwork.
