Warm Greater Wellington scheme to warm even more homes

Even more of the region’s homeowners will be able to access funding to insulate their homes following a decision to increase the spending cap for the Warm Greater Wellington scheme.

At a Council meeting this week, Councillors approved a budget increase to the scheme to a total of $6 million per year from the current $3 million per year.

“With the spending cap increased to $6 million per year, up to 2,300 households in the region can be helped out each year,” Greater Wellington Regional Council Chair Fran Wilde said.

Under the scheme, Greater Wellington provides up to $2,600 per property (including GST), repayable via a targeted rate over nine years. The top-up is in addition to the assistance currently available through EECA.

The scheme had already been immensely popular, with 2,437 properties having installed insulation since it began on 1 April 2010. “In this financial year alone we’ve had 1,140 installations, compared to 1,297 until 30 June 2011,” Fran Wilde said.

“Modern insulation systems and clean heating appliances mean that people shouldn’t be living in cold and unhealthy homes.

“Increasing the spending cap for this scheme helps more of the region’s home owners reap the benefits of insulation, including the significant health benefits from having warmer, drier homes and less air pollution,” Fran Wilde said.

See below for a break-down of the scheme take-up and financial details by territorial authority as of Wednesday 2 November: