A parliamentary debate has taken place discussing the Fishwick residents who were left with property damage.

The debate, secured by Sir Mark Hendrick MP, questioned Ministers about a failed insulation scheme affecting residents in the area.

The Fishwick 247 Scheme, involving external wall installation, was put in place by Intergen using a levy from energy companies and the installation work was contracted out to Ecogen Renewables.

In January 2013, work started on 379 Fishwick properties and was completed the following June.

Ecogen however went into liquidation in October 2013, leaving householders and residents with substantial property damage and no recourse to remedial works.

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Residents reported damp, crumbling cladding, mould, rising energy costs and water seeping into the properties following the work.

Sir Mark addressed Minister of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Claire Perry during Wednesday (24 October): “I’m extremely pleased to have secured this debate today to talk about the terrible conditions that some of my constituents who live in the Fishwick area of Preston are suffering.

“The source of their complaints are in regards to work first carried out between January and June 2013. The work was effectively a government scheme aimed at improving the thermal efficiency of homes.

“There’s no reason there shouldn’t be good cooperation and good installation schemes coming forward. This is what I would have expected in the case of the 387 houses in my own constituency of Preston.

“This saga has been running from 2012 to where we are now to October in 2018. It’s been an absolute tragedy for those living in those 387 houses who have been trying to put up with substandard housing and great inconvenience resulting in unsafe properties and associated health risks.

“Can I ask the minister why are the more recent schemes that are using cladding like the type mentioned in Fishwick are being used when the detriment to both property’s and residents is known? Why has it taken six years to get to where we are now for the resident of Fishwick? Is the government willing to help direct the residents to a satisfactory and available source of finance to rescue what is in fact a government scheme?”

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Minister Claire Perry responded: “The points he raises on damp living conditions, the impact that has on people’s health on people’s feeling as to whether their homes are fit for purpose is enormous and I think he raises some incredibly important points.

“I’m going to start by saying that I don’t think what has happened has been good enough. I’m going to start by saying what I will repeat at the end which is that I’m going to instruct one person in my department to act as the broker to bring together all these people who have had a part in the problem and can hopefully be part of the solution.”

You can watch the full video here.

Do you live in Fishwick? Were you affected? Let us know in the comments below