PLANS to help Chelmsley Wood reduce carbon emissions and act on climate change have been awarded more than £500,000.
Solihull Council has been awarded the money from the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), funded from the Government’s Net Zero Accelerator Programme, to create a plan to explore how Chelmsley Wood can benefit from climate change action.
The pioneering scheme is one of six taking place across the West Midlands and aims to design a plan to tackle climate change and create a low-carbon community, introducing measures which will benefit both residents and businesses.
The project could involve energy retrofit assessments to identify ways residents can improve their energy efficiency and reduce fuel costs through measures such as insulation, solar panels and low-carbon heating solutions; alongside planning for neighbourhood improvements to boost the natural environment and enhance active travel opportunities.
Solihull Council’s cabinet member for Climate Change and Planning, Councillor Andy Mackiewicz, said: “We are delighted to have secured this funding to create a plan that will focus on climate action by enhancing the natural environment, improving air quality and reducing net carbon emissions.
“This exciting project will be the first of its kind in Solihull and we believe it can deliver real benefits to Chelmsley Wood – an area of the borough which has high levels of fuel poverty and where there is potential to improve the energy efficiency of homes.
“This project will put the community of Chelmsley Wood at its heart whilst setting out a plan for how the area can benefit from climate action and being more sustainable.
“We will be starting the process of talking to the residents in the new year to make sure the planned actions meet what the community want.”
