Housing project upgrades flats

A corner of Redditch is being transformed by a social housing regeneration project.

A four-year, £1.8million renovation of 78 Redditch Borough Council flats and their surrounding area in High Trees Close, Oakenshaw, ends its first major phase this month (December).

Unusual 1970s flats there, built as stepped terraces rising up a hillside, have had their characteristic roof balconies renovated to make the homes better-insulated and drier with improved living spaces.

Perished, cracked concrete planters and insufficient roof and wall insulation were replaced with warmer, better cladding, decking, and powder-coated rails with frosted glass.

It’s the end of the first of three phases of the improvements, which began in 2022 and have included upgrades to local bin stores, street lighting, and tarmac paving and kerbstones.

Redditch Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Housing, Cllr Bill Hartnett, said: “When you compare the before and after this is a remarkable example of how to retrofit and modernise social housing.

“The high standard of the work is clearly visible, but there’s also been a high level of engagement and respect running through the project as well, between the council, our contractors, and our tenants, who didn’t even need to be moved out to get it done. The residents even voted to choose the colours used for their block.

“It’s a project we can be proud of. These properties have been transformed and we look forward to moving onto the next phases here soon.”

The borough council has a £10million per year capital plan to improve the over 6,000 council homes it manages in Redditch. That ranges from replacing kitchens to fitting new boilers, improved roofs, and more.

The Leader of the Council, Cllr Joe Baker, said: “This council is committed to improving Redditch’s housing stock year on year for the benefit of tenants both now and in the future.”