Doncaster shops and parking set for boost under £18m scheme

They have been included along with housing improvements, and new bathrooms and kitchens in some council homes, in a list of capital projects to be funded by St Leger Homes of Doncaster during 2017/18.

The £18.1 million of investment includes:

• External enhancements, including roof works, fascias and soffits

• Internal works, including new kitchens, bathrooms and electrical upgrades

• Environmental improvements, including fencing and car parking schemes

• Improvements to non-traditional properties

• Central heating upgrades

• Fixing structural issues in older properties

• Estate improvements to paths and garage sites

• Improvements to local shops.

• Improvements in gypsy and traveller sites.

The shopping parade improvements will see work carried out on the shopping centres at Westminster Crescent, Intake; Sandringham Road, Intake; Everingham Road, Cantley; The Oval, Woodlands; and Beech Road, Armthorpe.

Works have recently also been completed on Montrose Avenue in Intake and Livingstone Avenue at Clay Lane , but they were part of the previous year's programme. The works being carried out are predominantly external works to the roof.

A £1.3 million environmental schemes pot will see money spent on improving parking at Craven Close, Cantley; Askrigg Close, Cantley; Eastgate, Moorends; and Melrose Close, Balby. Four more parking schemes are set to be identified in addition to those.

Meanwhile, a £1 million fund will be spent on internal improvements to council houses including, upgrading bathrooms, installing heat and smoke detectors, replacing single with double sockets and installing extractor fans to kitchens and bathrooms and the installation on showers in the main bathroom. The scheme will affect 1,000 properties, starting in Bentley and possibly moving to Askern later in the year, subject to take up. Askern will be starting point for 2018-19, if no properties are done there in 2017-18.

Paul Tanney, chief executive of St Leger Homes, said: "We believe in quality homes in quality neighbourhoods – we are really excited to be making an investment which will mean real improvements in the lives of local people.

“We are confident that this investment will help continue the positive transformation that is already happening locally in our communities.”

Coun Glyn Jones, Doncaster Council cabinet member for housing and equalities at Doncaster Council, said: “I very much welcome this announcement of investment which is set to make significant improvements to the lives of residents living in Doncaster’s 21,000 council properties."