NEARLY £1.5 million worth of work on council houses in Pantside, Newbridge, is now under way and should be completed by early next year.

The massive investment represents a chunk of the £15.5 million Caerphilly council has earmarked for its stock of 10,912 houses over the next year as it aims to achieve the required Welsh Housing Quality Standard.

In the Pantside area, the Eastern Valley internal works programme will fit our properties with things like new kitchens, bathrooms and electrics.

Properties on Claremont Road and Hazlewood Road have already benefited, with £216,950 of work completed in those areas back in June.

Attention has now turned to a further 13 areas of Pantside, with work set to continue for the rest of this year and the early part of 2014.

Around £218,250 will go on houses in Ellesmere Court and Old Pant Road, £226,500 on properties in Coronation Crescent and Hilary Road, while Newlyn Road and Stonewood View will enjoy a joint investment of £210,450.

St Peter’s Close and Tir-y-Pwll Terrace will see £237,400 spent on them, Greenlands, Hilltop Crescent and Sunnycrest will jointly receive an investment of £205,900 and Pant View and Queen’s Road will benefit to the tune of £173,250. This makes a total of £1,488,700 on internal works at properties.

The work will vindicate the decision of many Pantside residents who decided to vote against transferring council houses in the area to a social landlord.

Resident Wyndham Gadd of Coronation Crescent said yesterday: "Work has started now, so it looks like it was a good decision to have stayed with the council.

"It's early days, but so far so good."

When residents in Caerphilly’s 10,912 properties went to the polls in early 2012, we spoke to 17 people living in Pantside, with 10 saying they intended to vote against transfer, six were undecided and just one intended to vote for transfer.

In total, the local authority is aiming to spend £200 million by 2020 on homes and communities as it aims to achieve the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.