The next stage of refurbishment work to properties on the Willaston housing estate in Douglas begins this month.
Douglas Council’s housing committee chairman David Ashford has said the scheme will cost £9.1 million spread over a five-year period.
The scheme will see a total of 343 houses refurbished during the period, with the work being done on almost half of the 746 properties on the estate which is the largest local authority estate in the island.
The latest stage is phase two and will concentrate on 36 properties, costing £1.63 million. Each house will have £26,000 spent on it and the work will involve removal of chimney stacks, replacement of roofs as well as removal and rebuilding of the houses’ outer walls. The latter is being done to cure persistent damp problems in a number of the houses.
Tenants are to be accommodated in empty council properties while the work is being done.
At a recent council meeting concerns were expressed about the security of tenants’ homes while the work is being done. Councillor Ashford said workmen would have access to inside the properties while work was being done, not least because window frames were being removed and replaced. In some instances doors would be removed and replaced too, he said. Work will also be done to replace kitchens.
‘But they will only be going into homes as and when necessary, anything else would be unacceptable because these are still people’s homes and there will still be some items in there even though much will be taken to the de-camp properties.’
Council heard the £1.63 million will be borrowed over a 30 year period with estimated annual repayments of £101,833. Estimated total interest to be paid is £1,427,005.