Gentoo marks completion of modernisation work in Pennywell.
More than 1,000 homes have been improved as part of a major £19million scheme on the estate.
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00:00Hi, I'm Mark Edwards, Director of Asset and Sustainability at Gen2 Group.
00:06What's the programme about today?
00:08So the Pennywell Regeneration Programme is just over a £90m investment in 1,100 homes
00:13on the Pennywell Estate here in Sunderland, where we've invested significantly in our
00:17existing homes to replace roof coverings, roofline, canopies, windows, doors, boundaries
00:23and made homes more energy efficient for our customers.
00:27And obviously we're here marking the completion of the work in Pennywell, but I imagine it's
00:30a bit like painting the fourth bridge.
00:32What happens next?
00:33What happens next for Pennywell is we continue to maintain our homes on this estate.
00:38We continue to make sure that our communities and our estates are well managed and well
00:42maintained for our customers to continue to enjoy living on the estate.
00:45And for Gen2, this is part of our bigger five-year investment plan, which is just over £200m,
00:52where we're investing in existing customer's homes right across the city of Sunderland.
00:58Rose, tell her how long have you lived in your home here?
01:0151 years, over 52.
01:03And what have you had done?
01:05I've just had, in this space, fencing, windows and a new garage roof.
01:13And how long's it taken?
01:15It didn't take long.
01:16The windows was in and out in a day and then they came back just to finish off.
01:23The fencing took longer because obviously they had to dismantle a wall and put new fencing.
01:30And what do you think of the work?
01:31It was wonderful.
01:32You couldn't fault it.
01:35Windows is absolutely lovely and they cleaned up after them and people came round on the
01:41night time and cleaned up the garden as well.
01:44And what difference is it going to make?
01:46Well, it makes a lot of difference because it's warmer and you can feel the heat in the house.
01:56Jonathan Horner, it's from ReGen, the contractors who care about the work here at Pennywell.
01:59How's it gone?
02:00The product's been really successful.
02:02We've been really proud to help deliver the work for Gen 2 Group.
02:05We've delivered over 1,100 homes successfully and had very high levels of customer satisfaction.
02:11And has everything gone according to schedule?
02:14It's had its challenges but in the main we've been doing really well.
02:17It's been a difficult programme.
02:18We've gone through two winters so we've had some difficulties with weather conditions
02:22but in the main we've actually delivered ahead of programme.
02:25It's not been the driest of years, certainly.
02:27It hasn't.
02:28And I understand that you've been able to employ some people locally?
02:32Yes, as part of our social value commitment to the project we've been able to deliver
02:37over a million pounds worth of social value.
02:39We've been able to employ a number of Pennywell residents, I think four to date.
02:46But overall in Sunderland area we've employed seven of Gen 2's customers.
02:53Linda Waterworth is a Gen 2 attendant here at the flats in Pennywell.
02:57What have you had done?
02:58We've had new roofing, new windows, new loft installations which has made the place really much warmer.
03:06There was a lot of dampness before because the roofs were pretty old.
03:10So it's absolutely much better now.
03:13And we're happy with the work?
03:14Yes, brilliant.
03:15Brilliant team they were.
03:17It was a bit of a bother, what they've done and that.
03:20And they've just gone on with the work.
03:22Effortlessly, you know, just gone on with it.