By KLTV Newsdesk –

Funding will support studies to improve heating systems at Eightlands Estate and Burhouse Court, benefiting tenants and shaping future housing improvements across the borough.

Kirklees Council’s Homes and Neighbourhoods Service has successfully secured a revenue grant of £37,625 from the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES).

The funding will enable the council to conduct two key optimisation studies—one on the Eightlands district heating network in Dewsbury and another on Burhouse Court’s communal heat network in Honley.

These studies will assess the current systems to identify inefficiencies and explore ways to enhance their performance.

Improving Existing Housing

The initiative forms part of the council’s wider ambition to improve existing housing, ensuring that homes are safe, healthy, and well-maintained for all tenants.

Councillor Moses Crook, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Transport and Housing, said: “Our successful bid gives us the opportunity to carry out specific and detailed work on how we can improve the performance of heating networks at our council homes.

“This funding will allow us to carry out reviews on two different heat networks and identify ways we can make them more efficient.

“Not only will this scheme directly benefit residents at Eightlands Estate and Burhouse Court, but the findings from these studies will be used to improve other heating networks across our housing sites within the borough.”

Enhancing Performance and Reducing Fuel Poverty

The Heat Network Efficiency Scheme (HNES), funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, provides financial support to public, private, and third-sector applicants across England and Wales.

It aims to enhance the performance of existing district and communal heating projects, ensuring that residents have access to efficient and affordable heating.

Louise Singleton, HNES Programme Manager, said: “Fuel poverty in the UK has been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, and HNES is dedicated to ensuring that residents on one of the UK’s 14,000 heat networks are staying warm and comfortable in their homes without paying over the odds.

“We are delighted to be supporting Kirklees Council to help them identify how to create a more efficient and reliable network for their residents.”

The council hopes that the findings from these studies will help to shape future improvements across other housing sites in Kirklees.