Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar (CNES), in partnership with Tighean Innse Gall (TIG), has said it ha secured funding towards the delivery of up to £3.5m of Energy Efficiency Measures for private homes within the Western Isles.

The scheme will benefit homeowners throughout the islands who live in traditional solid stone of poured concrete houses.

The funds have been secured from the Scottish Government, and together with Energy Company Obligation (ECO) funding from Scottish and Southern Energy, will target hard-to-treat- properties within the area.

Initially, the External Wall Insulation (EWI) will be available to those with either electric or solid fuel heating, but Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar has said it could be extended to other properties in the future, such as oil fired heating systems.

Chairman of the Comhairle's Environment and Protective Services Committee, Councillor Kenneth Murray, said: "It is great news that we are now able to offer external wall insulation to 155 hard to treat houses throughout the Outer Hebrides. The Scheme is jointly funded by the Scottish Government's Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland: Area Based Schemes (HEEPS: ABS) and Energy Company Obligations (ECO) and is estimated will bring over £3 million of much needed investment into the Outer Hebrides.

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"Demand for external wall insulation has already been very high and over 100 enquiries have already been assessed for these new measures. As a result, it has been necessary to target the first year of the external wall insulation scheme to houses with electric or solid fuel heating systems.

"However, it is hoped that we will be able to consider oil and gas fired systems in future years of the Scheme. Other measures on offer in the scheme include underfloor, loft and cavity wall insulation and I would encourage people, especially those on Pension Credit or Benefits, to apply through Tighean Innse Gall using their freephone telephone number - 0800 888 6040.

"This funding, together with the successful working partnership of the Comhairle and Tighean Innse Gall, will go a long way to helping eradicate fuel poverty in these islands."

Stewart Wilson, Director, Tighean Innse Gall added: "This will be the biggest and most radical scheme of energy efficiency measures that TIG (and its partners) have undertaken and will deliver excellent improvements to the energy performance of houses throughout the Western Isles.

"We have in the past delivered excellent Energy Saving Measures to properties and householders with loft, under floor and cavity wall insulation and the insulating of solid external walls will go a long way to bringing the traditional island house up to more modern thermal performance standards."

(JP/CD)