A consultation has launched that will seek residents’ views on how York and North Yorkshire adopts new energy-efficient retrofit technology in existing home and other buildings.
The eight-week consultation will ask the public to share their thoughts on the draft strategy on growing the region’s retrofit industry. Retrofit is upgrading an existing building to make them comfortable all year round, while lowering bills.
Ways of retrofitting buildings could include installing better insulation, updating windows or installing solar panels and heat pumps.
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority and a host of partners have co-designed a draft Retrofit Strategy, detailing how the industry can grow, and how more residents could feel the comfort and cost benefits. The consultation results will be used to inform further development of the Strategy.
York and North Yorkshire Mayor, David Skaith said:
Rising energy costs expose the challenges faced by too many households across our region. Our homes should be a place of comfort and warmth but for many, they’re anything but.
Many properties struggle to retain heat, and it puts communities and businesses in a vulnerable position.
By embracing new technology and investing in better insulation, we have the opportunity to transform homes across the region and help people save up to £1,000 a year in energy costs, all while reducing carbon emissions.
Retrofit not only promotes economic growth but helps us tackle and adapt to climate change and creates comfortable places to live, work and visit.
Carolyn Frank, North England Director of the Federation of Master Builders, who chairs the Task and Finish group that has supported development of the Strategy, said collaboration and ambition were key to achieving the savings and growth offered through retrofit.
Carolyn Frank said:
This is a great opportunity for York and North Yorkshire to be bold, to lead the way and to reap the benefits for both businesses and communities.
We already have a large group of organisations with the motivation, expertise and willingness to collaborate to make retrofit happen quickly, at the scale we need, as well as local highly skilled trade professionals to deliver.
But it’s essential we now get the support and views of residents and businesses, to ensure that our final Retrofit Strategy is fit for the whole region and our communities.
The consultation process has the backing of the York and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership (YNYHP), whose members are retrofitting their existing affordable housing stock.
Nick Atkin, Chair of the York and North Yorkshire Housing Partnership, said:
We’re proud to be leading the way on retrofitting homes across our region – transforming them into warmer, healthier spaces that are not only more comfortable to live in, but also far more affordable to run.
At a time when the cost of living is putting real pressure on households, making homes energy efficient isn’t just about saving money on bills. It’s also about tackling fuel poverty, improving health and wellbeing, and giving people peace of mind in their everyday lives.
We’re encouraging everyone to take part in this consultation. By listening to what matters most to local people, we can make sure retrofitting continues to deliver real, lasting change in communities across York and North Yorkshire.
The Retrofit Consultation closes on 3 December 2025 at 11.59pm.
To complete the survey, and find out more, go to bit.ly/4gN67nr
![IMAGE CREDITS - BELLWAY]: Bellway Strategic Land is consulting on proposals for a new development on land to the west of Ripon Road in Killinghall.](https://www.harrogate-news.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/bellway-killinghall-100x100.jpg)
