Southend-on-Sea City Council is investing £100 million over five years to expand and upgrade its council housing stock with a focus on energy efficiency. The plan includes new affordable homes with air source heat pumps and solar panels, plus the first certified Passivhaus properties in the city, which are designed to cut energy use and bills. Existing homes are also being retrofitted: 207 properties on the Balmoral Estate will get ground source heat pumps, and 61 more will receive solar and heat pump upgrades. The council aims to bring all remaining homes up to EPC C by 2030, aligning with net zero targets while tackling a waiting list of over 1,200 families.
