Improvement programme reaches major milestone

Castle Morpeth Housing's massive programme to upgrade its entire housing stock has reached a milestone with the renovation of its 1,000th home.

Alan and Elizabeth Black's property on Eleventh Avenue, Morpeth is the 1,000th home to benefit from an overhaul.

All 2,200 CMH properties are due to have been covered by the Major Improvement Programme (MIP) by the end of 2010, to ensure they all meet the benchmarks set by the Government's Decent Homes Standard.

To date CMH has invested £19m in the initiative which has seen properties across the borough receive new kitchens, bathrooms, windows, doors, and boilers.

The Blacks' property has been fitted with a new bathroom and kitchen.

Alan said: "We are both really pleased with the work that has been carried out. I'm very impressed with the new bathroom and the kitchen is very modern. It's really good."

The contractors delivering the MIP work are Frank Haslam Milan (FHM) North East , Mears and project managers Faithful+Gould.

When CMH was formed in October 2007, the not-for-profit company made a series of promises to the residents of its 2,200 homes. One of these was to ensure all those homes met the Government's Decent Homes Standard by the end of 2010

Tina Drury, managing director of Castle Morpeth Housing, said: "Thanks to the investment made by CMH, our residents are now enjoying a really good standard of accommodation.

"It's not been an easy task but this milestone demonstrates just how far we've come and we expect to meet our end-of-year target. It's great to visit tenants and see the positive change the investment and refurbishment have made to their lives."

Rachel Dart from Faithful+Gould added: "Alongside FHM and a number of other contractors we are moving forward and progressing well with the Major Improvement Programme. We still have a way to go but we expect all 'non-decent' properties to be completed by the end of the year."