Swindon Borough Council is set to consider a significant £250 million investment in its housing stock, with plans to improve living conditions for thousands of tenants across the borough. The proposal will be discussed at next week’s Cabinet meeting on 12th February.
The new housing asset management strategy outlines how the Council intends to spend between £38 million and £66 million per year over the next five financial years to tackle long-overdue maintenance and refurbishment work. With 10,383 homes under its management, including 31 sheltered housing schemes and four supported housing schemes, the Council remains the largest social housing provider in Swindon.
Many of Swindon’s council homes date back to the mid-19th century, with nearly half built using non-traditional construction methods following the town’s post-war expansion. A combination of ageing properties and a lack of sustained investment has led to increased reactive maintenance, particularly in key areas such as roofing, windows, and kitchens.
The new strategy acknowledges this growing issue, stating: “Core components have now reached (and exceeded) the end of their lifespan and are at risk of failing to comply with the Decent Homes Standard.”
The plans highlight the need for dedicated investment in Swindon’s heritage properties, such as those in the historic Railway Village, as well as in six high-rise residential blocks that require urgent refurbishment. The Council aims to introduce targeted strategies to tackle these challenges in 2025-26.
A prioritised list of properties most in need of refurbishment will be compiled, with improvement works set to include upgrades to bathrooms, central heating, kitchens, roofing, windows, and doors. The Council hopes that these investments will ensure tenants live in homes that are “healthy, safe, and secure.”
Last December, Swindon Borough Council referred itself to the Regulator of Social Housing, which is currently reviewing the state of its housing services. This investment forms a central part of the Council’s broader housing improvement plan, overseen by a new Housing Improvement Board comprising tenants and cross-party councillors.
To finance the project, the Council plans to borrow up to £152 million between 2025 and 2030. The exact amount of borrowing will depend on rental income, inflation, and the results of detailed property assessments. The remainder of the investment will come from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), a ring-fenced budget funded by council tenant rent payments. These funds are legally restricted to housing management and maintenance.
Councillor Janine Howarth, Cabinet Member for Housing, acknowledged the long-standing issues in Swindon’s council housing and stressed the need for action.
“Every tenant has a right to a decent and safe home, but as this first-ever Council asset management strategy calls out, for too long there has been a lack of proactive investment in the maintenance and improvement of council-owned homes.”
“Our tenants deserve better, and we are determined to begin to put that right. This strategy sets out how we will prioritise known faults in our homes, including those in the historic Railway Village and our high-rise blocks, which have suffered from years of underinvestment.”
She added: “This plan represents a 78% increase in planned investment compared to the last five years. It commits us to spending £250 million to support the delivery of our housing improvement plan.”
The Council will use data from condition surveys and feedback from tenants to structure its refurbishment programme. Tenants are encouraged to continue reporting repair issues via the Council website, with emergency repairs prioritised accordingly.
