ENVIRONMENTAL campaigners have claimed that a home insulation scheme in west Cumbria could create as many jobs as the proposed new coal mine.

A programme to improve insulation and energy efficiency in West Cumbrian homes could create up to 600 new jobs as well as reducing the energy bills of people in poorly-insulated homes by hundreds of pounds a year, according to analysis published by Friends of the Earth.

But Mike Starkie, mayor of Copeland, who is an ardent supporter of the mine, said he was sceptical that these jobs would ever be created.

The Friends of the Earth analysis is based on work by think-tank IPPR North who calculated that bringing the 2,409,900 homes in north-west England that need upgrading up to a reasonable level of energy efficiency could create 26,000 direct jobs.

This equates to one job created for every 93 homes needing to be upgraded.

Friends of the Earth say if this was applied to the local situation in west Cumbria, where there are around 56,000 homes needing to be upgraded, it could result in up to 600 jobs being created.

Estelle Worthington, Friends of the Earth’s north-west regional campaign co-ordinator said: “People in west Cumbria want secure jobs and lower energy bills.

“A programme to make sure every home in the area has proper insulation would give them both and could create as many jobs as the proposed new coal mine.

“Better insulation and a real drive for renewable energy are the solutions to both the energy and climate crises.

"But the government’s insulation plans announced last week just kick the can down the road for another two years – we need action now.

“Job creation doesn’t need to come at the expense of the climate.

“Ministers must do more to help the people of Cumbria reap the benefits of building a zero carbon and affordable future.”

Mr Starkie said: “If they can find the employment, then fantastic, we would welcome it in addition to the mine.

“I’m very sceptical because for the whole eight years that the mine debate has been going on and they’ve been talking about these green jobs, not one of them has emerged.

“Whereas the mine jobs are real, I remain sceptical about all these claims as none of them over the eight years, have come to fruition.

“If by some way they have found a way of creating jobs, I would more than welcome them and they would add to what the mine is going to bring.”

Friends of the Earth is calling for all homes to be brought up to a reasonable energy efficiency standard - an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ‘C’ rating - by 2030.

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