Double glazing is to be installed to more than 700 council-owned homes to try and improve energy efficiency.

Darlington Borough Council was awarded £1m in LAD1 funding and has contributed a further £500,000 to carry out work on homes in the borough.

The council already has plans to install double glazed windows in around 400 homes this year and the additional funding will allow it to provide around 300 homes with energy efficient double glazing, as well as improved insulation works.

Pauline Mitchell, assistant director of housing and building services, said: “Many of our tenants are on low incomes and find it challenging to adequately heat their homes, particularly in the past year when most of us have been spending more time at home."

“LAD1 funding recognises this and is aimed specifically at those households with annual incomes of £30,000 or less. Having highly efficient, modern, doubled glazed windows will be a great benefit in helping to keep our many vulnerable tenants warm and will also help them manage their budgets more easily.

“At the same time, making homes more energy efficient will also help the council’s commitment to climate change which will benefit the community as a whole.”

The funding is aimed at households with annual incomes of less than £30,000 and will cover a range of properties in need of improved insulation.

Window replacement will be carried out in Branksome, Cockerton, the town centre and Parkside areas.

The council’s improvement programme for 2020/21 focuses on properties in Haughton, Springfield and Sadberge while the 2021/22 schedule will be in the Lascelles Park area.

The council currently has around 5,300 properties in its housing stock, of which around 1,200 still have single glazed UPVC or wooden window frames.