NEARLY £50million will be spent on improving the homes of thousands of people in the Weston area. New doors, lighting, kitchens and heating are some of the enhancements tenants of homes owned by North Somerset Housing can expect over the next five years.

NEARLY £50million will be spent on improving the homes of thousands of people in the Weston area.New doors, lighting, kitchens and heating are some of the enhancements tenants of homes owned by North Somerset Housing can expect over the next five years.North Somerset Council transferred ownership of all of its homes to the housing association last year. The company promised to spend £48.5million improving the houses as part of the deal.The work will include:* Replacing nearly 5,000 exterior doors.* Installing security lighting at more than 5,000 homes.* Replacing 1,350 kitchens.* Replacing 1,250 bathrooms.* Installing nearly 2,000 new heating systems.North Somerset Housing will also invest more than £3million on improving estates, nearly £5million on sheltered housing and £1.5million on disabled facilities over the next six years.The non-profit organisation plans to spend £159million on major repairs and improvements to homes over the next 30 years.The work will be done by four contractors - Connaught Partnerships, Quadron Services, Gas World and PH Jones.Steve Drew, the association's director of assets, said: "It is one thing having the money to spend on tenants' homes - spending it efficiently and wisely is another matter."We are convinced these contractors will deliver an excellent service to our tenants and provide good value for money.