Lovell Renew has begun year two of a retrofit programme set to make thousands of social homes warmer across three counties.
The refurbishment and retrofit specialist is delivering the £58m Wave 3 Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund contract in partnership with social housing provider Amplius, covering homes in Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, and Peterborough.
The three-year programme upgraded 713 homes in its first year, 2025/26, and is now targeting 750 properties in year two and a further 750 in year three. An additional award will bring circa 1,500 more properties into the same period.
In total, the Wave 3 programme aims to improve more than 3,700 properties across Amplius’s portfolio by March 2028. Lovell will also install solar PV and battery systems in around 250 further homes, taking the total to almost 4,000 upgraded properties. Amplius is a strategic partner with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ).
Matt Hickman, refurbishment partnerships director at Lovell Renew, said: “Reaching the start of year two in our Wave 3 programme is a fantastic milestone for our team and our longstanding partners at Amplius Living. The application for funding to complete a further 1,800 homes also showcases the confidence in the partnership and our ability to deliver people-focused retrofit at scale and pace.
“Having set high standards during Wave 2, we’re proud to build on that foundation and continue delivering high-quality, resident-focused decarbonisation across Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, and Peterborough. We also understand that retrofit is about far more than lowering carbon emissions, focusing on how we can improve people’s lives, tackle fuel poverty and make homes warmer and healthier.”
The Wave 3 programme builds on the earlier £15m Wave 2 contract, completed in 2024/25, during which Lovell Renew upgraded 260 properties and installed more than 3,000 energy measures. That phase achieved a 98% resident satisfaction score, against a 95% target, 99.6% waste diversion from landfill, and a 100% success rate in raising energy performance ratings from D-G to EPC C or higher.
Using a full PAS 2035 turnkey approach, the works include external and internal wall insulation, loft insulation, high-efficiency windows and doors, solar PV, air source heat pumps, and AICO environmental monitoring sensors.
Fallon Warren, head of asset optimisation, sustainability and commercial facilities at Amplius, said: “Building on the success of our first year, we’re delighted to continue our partnership with Lovell Renew as we enter the next phase of our Warm Homes programme. What makes this partnership so successful is our shared vision and passion for delivering retrofit the right way – not simply installing energy efficiency measures, but creating safer, healthier and more affordable homes while putting our customers at the heart of every decision we make.
“Together, we’ve developed a collaborative approach that focuses on quality, resident engagement and long-term outcomes, ensuring customers are supported throughout their retrofit journey. As we significantly increase delivery over the coming two years, we’re confident that by continuing to work together we can improve thousands more homes, reduce fuel poverty, lower carbon emissions and leave a lasting positive impact on the communities we serve.”
Lovell Renew has also prioritised social value throughout the programme, using a local supply chain and promoting material reuse and recycling. The team has run coffee mornings and drop-in days for residents, school engagement sessions on sustainable construction careers, and Christmas selection box donations across delivery areas.
The contractor also works with Stop Social Housing Stigma, a tenant-led campaign that challenges stereotypes associated with social housing tenants.
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