Work is set to commence on the West Midlands' latest Net Zero Neighbourhood in Walsall, with up to 160 homes on the Dudley Fields estate receiving cutting-edge green technology upgrades.
This ambitious £8 million scheme aims to reduce annual carbon emissions and make homes warmer and more comfortable, while creating over 50 skilled local jobs.
The project is a collaborative effort between whg, Walsall Council, Mayor of the West Midlands Richard Parker, and the West Midlands Combined Authority. Funding is provided through the Bloxwich Town deal, ECO4 grants, the WMCA’s Net Zero Neighbourhoods programme, and a £2.1 million investment from whg.
Mayor Richard Parker has confirmed funding for seven Net Zero Neighbourhoods across the West Midlands. In Dudley Fields, 85 whg homes on five roads, including Central Drive and Coalway Road, will receive free energy efficiency upgrades such as external wall insulation, solar panels, and air source heat pumps. Additionally, up to 75 private households will be offered bespoke retrofit packages through contractor Surefire MS (SMS), with grants covering most of the costs.
West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker commented:
“Getting to net zero takes a community effort – all of us working together to drive down energy costs and carbon emissions.
“We are funding seven Net Zero Neighbourhoods and improving more than 10,000 family homes across the West Midlands so they benefit from better insulation, greener energy generation and opening up new natural spaces in their communities.
“We are already seeing the benefits in Dudley, and soon residents in Walsall will see them too.
“The UK’s transition to net zero can only be successful if we take everyone with us – cutting emissions while cutting bills for our residents.”
A major skills and employment drive is central to the scheme, creating up to 52 local jobs, including roles for retrofit assessors, plasterers, and green technology specialists. The initiative also includes 25 apprenticeships and 43 training placements in partnership with Walsall College. A new Energy Hub will open in the community, serving as a retrofit advice centre and show home to demonstrate the benefits of retrofit works.
Dudley Fields is one of seven Net Zero Neighbourhoods being developed as part of the Mayor’s plan to cut regional carbon emissions to net zero by 2041. The Town Deals programme aims to regenerate towns and deliver long-term economic and productivity growth through investments in urban regeneration, digital and physical connectivity, skills, heritage, and enterprise infrastructure. As of July 2021, MHCLG has committed over £2.35 billion of investment across approximately 700 projects nationwide.
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