The Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government visited Monmouthshire Housing Association’s newly improved and retrofitted homes at Newland Way in Wyesham on Monday 16 March.
During the visit, Jayne Bryant MS was joined by Wyesham Ward Councillor Emma Bryn and Deputy Leader of Monmouthshire County Council Paul Griffiths. The group met a resident, spoke with project partners and saw first-hand the impact the improvements have made to people’s homes.
The £1.2 million project, delivered in partnership with Monmouthshire County Council, began in 2024 and has transformed 14 two-bedroom apartments. The work has significantly improved energy efficiency and will help residents reduce their energy bills.
As part of the upgrades, the roof covering was replaced and strengthened to allow the installation of solar panels. Concrete walkways and staircases were demolished and replaced with metal ones, external wall insulation was installed with a combination of brick slip and render finishes, and drainage and ventilation were upgraded. As a result, all MHA apartments at Newland Way now meet an EPC A rating.
More than £400,000 of funding was provided through the Welsh Government’s Optimised Retrofit Programme. The work was carried out by Principal Contractor Cardo Group and subcontractors as part of MHA’s wider commitment to creating warmer, safer and more sustainable homes.
Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant, said:
It was great to visit Newland Way and see for myself the difference these improvements have made for the people who live there. This is exactly the kind of project that the Welsh Government’s Optimised Retrofit Programme was designed to support, and it shows what can be achieved when housing associations, local councils and contractors work together. We want every social home in Wales to be warm, safe and fit for the future, and projects like this bring us a step closer to that goal.
Residents were placed at the heart of the project throughout. Temporary decants were arranged where needed to minimise disruption and ensure people remained safe and comfortable while the improvements were carried out.
Newland Way resident, Sheila Thomas, said:
The work that has been done is amazing and it has completely transformed the place. The team were always helpful and any time we had a problem they came straight away to sort it out. My home now feels warm, cosy and genuinely beautiful. People passing by have even commented on how brilliant the flats look.
The project also brought added benefits for the wider community through MHA’s Community Benefit Funding programme. Cardo Group contributed funding to install new waste and recycling storage units and added raised planters to enhance shared outdoor areas. Using volunteering days, MHA staff supported the construction of the new stores and will help plant the raised beds later this spring.
Gwyndaf Tobias, CEO of MHA, said:
We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved at Newland Way. With support from the Welsh Government’s Optimised Retrofit Programme, and through strong partnership working with our supply chain, we have delivered innovative, energy efficient upgrades that make a real and lasting difference to people’s lives.
This project reflects MHA’s wider decarbonisation ambitions and our commitment to investing in new approaches that create warmer, more sustainable homes. Newland Way shows what can be achieved when we collaborate closely with our contractors and residents to deliver high quality, low carbon solutions that are built for the long term.
Rob Martin, Operations Director at Cardo Group, said:
With the upgraded insulation, solar panels and other building improvements, residents at Newland Way will benefit from warmer, more comfortable homes and lower energy bills. We worked closely with Monmouthshire Housing Association throughout the project to ensure residents were at the centre of every decision. From maintaining strong communication through our on-site teams to delivering community improvements, our aim was to make a positive and lasting difference for the people who live here.
