Harrow Council has approved a £97.6 million capital works programme aimed at modernising the borough's housing stock over the next four years, with a strong emphasis on improving energy efficiency and tackling damp and mould.
The extensive programme, authorised by the council's Cabinet on Thursday, March 19, 2026, will focus on key component renewals including windows, doors, kitchens, bathrooms, roofing, and boiler replacements. The initiative aims to address resident concerns regarding damp and mould, reduce legal disrepair cases, and improve the overall condition and energy efficiency of council housing. The programme is designed to proactively deliver warmer, healthier, and more energy-efficient homes for our residents, addressing issues of damp and mould while reducing residents' heating costs and contributing to the Council's Climate Emergency and Net Zero 2030 commitments.
Roofing upgrades will also include fire compartmentation works and increased insulation, which will in turn increase the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of properties.
The procurement strategy is designed to engage local contractors and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), ensuring a stable investment programme. The council recognises the vital role SMEs play in employing local people, supporting apprenticeship schemes, and engaging with local suppliers. The evaluation criteria for these procurements will be Price 30%, Quality 60%, Social Value 10%
, aiming to attract local and sub-regional businesses to tender for individual or multiple elements of the contracts.
Councillor Mina Parmar, Portfolio Holder for Housing, stated that the procurement strategy is designed to employ local contractors and not be reliant on large management contractors. She added that the programme will enable the council to address resident concerns, deal with damp and mould, and reduce legal disrepair cases.
The Cabinet also agreed to vary existing contracts for windows and doors, and kitchens and bathrooms. This variation will enable the upgrading of a further 160 properties with new windows and doors, and 173 properties with new kitchens and bathrooms, all by April 2027.
The overall investment of £97.6 million is allocated across the four-year period, with specific figures for each year detailed in the council's Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget. The programme is fully funded within the HRA for the period 2026/27 through to 2030/31. The capital works programme will establish frameworks for reactive capital works, roofing, block enveloping and major refurbishment works, and mechanical and electrical upgrades. Specific works to estates such as Grange Farm and particular reactive capital work projects are also included.
This initiative is detailed in the Report - 4yr Capital Investment Strategy [https://moderngov.harrow.gov.uk/documents/s198989/Report%20-%204yr%20Capital%20Investment%20Strategy.pdf]. The meeting where this was approved was the Cabinet meeting on Thursday, March 19, 2026, as noted in the Public Notice [https://moderngov.harrow.gov.uk/documents/s199022/Public%20Notice.pdf].
