Energy-saving council house upgrades welcomed by residents

Anglesey County Council has been investing  in its housing stock at Llangoed and Llanddona.

Properties have been re-roofed, had new windows, external wall insulation, and solar panels, and have also seen extensive improvements to paths, fences and boundary walls.

The council originally started work on a traditional planned maintenance contract on 86 properties in Llangoed and Llanddona, during February, 2020, just before the pandemic hit.

David Graves of Llangoed by his upgraded home

But the planned work at Pont Y Brenin and Tawel Fan, and Bryn Felin, Maes Gwyn and Ponc y Felin, in Llanddona was immediately impacted by Covid and the subsequent lockdowns.

The work just finished at Llangoed several weeks ago, and several Tawel Fan residents told the Local Democracy Reporting Service, they have been “inundated” with compliments at their new-look homes.

Anglesey council house improvements at Llangoed (Pictures: Courtesy of Anglesey County Council)

The work has been carried out by Holyhead construction firm, DU Construction Ltd.

The company also said it has also recently worked on an estate in Holyhead, built to ‘passive house standards’ which would be “super efficient with very low running costs.”

Llanddona council house improvements at Cae Gwyn (Drone image courtesy of Anglesey County Council)

It is one of Anglesey’s “largest schemes” to date, using this building method,” said Mark Blackwell, DU Construction director.

The work in Llangoed, finished about two weeks ago.

Several residents on Tawel Fan have said they are “delighted” with the improvements, whilst others said they had already seen a drop n their energy bills.

Some of the houses at Tawel Fan which had undergone improvements

David Graves, a part time builder, said “Apart from a few niggles inside, that they are coming back to sort, I am really pleased with what they have done.

“I have been inundated with compliments by people walking past the houses, saying they look really good,  they are good inside too, they are insulated.

“My solar panels have been up about six weeks. I could tell right away they were saving me money before this hot weather came.

The drone image shows the council house Improvements which include solar panels on the roof of homes at Pont Y Brenin, Llangoed

Gene Roberts said “We all think the houses on our row look great, they have done a brilliant job. We have had everything done from new roofs to windows, it was a big job. I’m very pleased with how my home looks.

“The lads that came were great, I miss having them around. I was kept busy making them bacon sandwiches!

“Nothing was too much trouble for them, once it all got going, once the flats nearby were done, it all came together, they worked very hard. I think it’s a very good job.

“I can’t say there is any difference with the panels as I mainly use an open fire. But I’m very happy with it all, we get a lot of people walking by complimenting us on how it looks, they really do look like brand new houses.”

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Her grandson Logan, aged 10, added “I think it is completely brilliant!”

An Anglesey County Council spokesperson said:  “The contract was awarded to a local contractor, namely DU Construction Ltd and involved 82 properties at Bryn Felin, Maes Gwyn and Ponc y Felin in Llanddona and Pont y Brenin and Tawelfan in Llangoed.

“The contract value at  the commencement of contract, was in the sum of £4.25m.

“The council’s housing services department hopes that the energy efficiency measures undertaken will help to mitigate, to some extent, the rising energy costs affecting all tenants whilst improving the energy rating of our housing stock.”

The houses at Tawel Fan before improvements were made (Picture Google Maps)

Mark Blackwell director of DU Construction Ltd said “He was delighted to hear some “positive feedback.”

“It’s really good to hear that people are pleased. They will definitely see significant improvements with the new systems, also at our latest project at Holyhead.

“The former Llaingoch Primary School was demolished three years ago to make way for 26 houses and flats on the site.

“They were all built to ‘passive standards’ which means they are extremely well insulated properties with heat recovery systems, and all the properties having extremely low heating and electricity bills , with the inclusion of solar pv panels on the roof,” he said.

“This system of construction is a fairly recent innovation allowing the best thermal properties and materials to be used to ensure a low carbon imprint together with ensuring low household utility bills and is Anglesey’s largest scheme to date using this building method.”