Elected Member Briefing - Update on Progress for the Multi-Storeys Strategy

About this Briefing Note

Report by: Richard Welch, Team Leader

EMBN Number: 013-24

Date: 12th February 2024

Subject: Update on Progress for the Multi-Storeys Strategy

Responsible Officer: Nicola Lennon, Service Manager, Property, Housing - Capital Projects and New Builds

Details

Purpose

This briefing provides an update on progress on our Multi-Storeys Strategy in Perth City, which will refurbish the interior and exterior of blocks at Market, Milne and Lickley Courts, Pomarium and Potterhill

Briefing Information 

Progress with upgrade works

Our contractor AC Whyte and their design teams have been working on the refurbishment Feasibility Studies and the first of these has been received for Market, Milne and Lickley Courts, and for the two blocks at Pomarium.

These studies are currently under review. AC Whyte have provided costs for the two blocks at Pomarium and we are in the process of applying for funding from the Scottish Government.

We will be arranging engagement events with the tenants/residents once we have the fully costed reports for all blocks, and these have been reviewed. We are progressing with a funding bid for the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund initially for the two blocks at Pomarium, as these are located within an area identified as having the poorest 20% of people in Scotland as measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SMID). We will also be including the blocks within a funding application to the HEEPS-ABS Scottish Government funded scheme and will also continue to review any other potential funding streams such as ECO.

The proposal would be to commence the overall project with the work for the blocks at Pomarium and then programme out the remaining blocks to follow.

Indicative timeline for Pomarium works:

• Develop and present Improvement Plan to PKC Housing Team - April 2024 - The Improvement Plan will include the programme for the project, the scope of works, the costings for the works and the potential funding opportunities.
• PKC Housing - Evaluate Improvement Plan - April 2024 - To review the proposals and costings in full and to also seek agreement on the next stages.
• Initial Public Engagement session - May 2024 - This will be an information sharing session to provide residents with proposed options and a timeline for the next stages.
• Notification of outcome of funding bids - early July 2024 • Second Public Engagement session - July 2024 - This session will outline the overall costs, the amount of external funding we have managed to secure and the level of contribution from each private owner as a result. It is expected that a vote on the options will then be carried out.
• Owner Sign Up (HEEPS-ABS Funding) - August/September 2024 - The owners will be required to sign a contract with the contractor that agrees to have the work carried out and to receive the funding contribution from the HEEPS-ABS funding stream.
• Site Mobilisation - September/October 2024 - This will begin with the setting up of a site compound and erecting scaffolding prior to works, then commencing onsite.
• Works Complete - May 2025

These dates are indicative and are dependent on agreement of statutory approvals (Planning and Building Warrant), private owner sign up, and successful outcomes of funding applications. Indicative timelines for the works at Market, Milne and Lickley Courts and Potterhill will be confirmed once further information is available on potential funding streams for private owners.

Installation of environmental sensors within properties

As of 17th January 2024, 70 properties have been fitted with the Aico environmental sensors, with the installation in at least one more void property pending. Information from the sensors is being fed back to a central portal indicating environmental conditions in the properties as well as highlighting any issues with the smoke & heat detectors.

Alerts, based on the information from the sensors, are being reviewed by team members and action taken to support tenants with heating and ventilating their property correctly. There have however been a few tenants not wishing for the sensors to be installed.

Tenants can download an app to a mobile device which allows them to monitor the environmental conditions within their homes and take any action to improve conditions and air quality.