600 homes across the Wirral to receive energy upgrades. By Adrian North September 21, 2026 Magenta Living Housing Association has appointed RPS Group to deliver an extensive retrofit programme worth up to £4.7 million across its homes on the Wirral, Merseyside. Starting immediately, RPS Group will carry out a mix of home energy-efficiency and renewable energy upgrades across 600 of Magenta Living's least energy-efficient homes - including fabric improvements, renewable energy, and low-carbon heating upgrades. The programme will include the installation of 550 solar PV systems, over 400 loft insulation upgrades and 25 air source heat pumps, alongside fabric improvements including external and cavity wall insulation and ventilation improvements. The PAS 2035-compliant retrofit programme will focus on enhancing thermal comfort for residents, reducing household energy and heating costs, and lowering carbon emissions. The £4.7 million programme combines £1 million from the government's Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 with £1.4 million in matched funding from Magenta Living. The housing association is investing a further £2.3 million in self-funded retrofit measures. As one of the North of England's leading independent specialist domestic retrofit contractors, RPS Group was selected for its expertise in renewable technologies, domestic heating systems and its proven ability to deliver complex retrofit programmes at scale. The appointment is the latest in a series of major social housing retrofit contracts secured by Greater Manchester-based RPS Group, including a 2,000-home solar PV programme with Vico Homes and a £6.2 million retrofit programme for Broadacres Housing Association. Graham Rothwell, owner and founder of RPS Group, said: "Housing Executive is delighted to support Magenta Living as it improves its homes and creates more comfortable and cost-effective places for its residents to live. Graham continues: "Solar PV forms a key part of this programme and can help cut household electricity costs. Our analysis has shown that an average 2.6-kilowatt PV system could meet up to 30-50 per cent of household electricity demand, helping customers cut energy bills for years to come." Leah Gilbert, Head of Sustainability & Decarbonisation at Magenta Living Housing Association, said: "At a time when many households continue to face pressure from high energy costs, investing in the energy performance of its homes has never been more important. "This programme will help improve the energy efficiency of hundreds of Magenta Living properties, with measures such as solar panels helping residents generate their own electricity and reduce the cost of running their homes. "Alongside supporting customers with rising energy bills, these improvements will create more comfortable and sustainable homes while reducing carbon emissions. It's an important step in delivering our long-term sustainability ambitions, and we're delighted to be working with RPS Group to make a lasting difference across our communities."

From industrial fringe to urban hub: Bahadurgarh's transformation takes shape. 13 Aug-2026 17:06 PM Listen Stop By: FirstIndia New Delhi: Bahadurgarh, which was earlier sort of seen as an industrial fringe town on the edge of Delhi, is now kind of sitting at the threshold of a big city transformation. Lately, the infrastructure upgrades give a pretty clear signal that this place is being set up as a major satellite hub in the Delhi NCR belt. For developers and other stakeholders who have a stake in this stretch, these large-scale projects are more like a paradigm shift in how the area will be viewed, how people will live there, and how it will be used in the coming time. The Infrastructure Backbone Some of the most transformative developments that are coming up right now are the rail and metro expansions meant to seriously reduce commuting distances. A good example is the proposed Delhi-Bahadurgarh-Rohtak High-Speed Rail Corridor. Its second phase construction is slated to begin sometime between 2029 and 2030, and the trains are expected to move at around 160 kilometers per hour, so the ride time from Delhi to Rohtak can shrink to roughly 45 to 50 minutes. The route itself is planned to have 7 new stations, and Bahadurgarh is going to be a real critical nodal point in this whole network. Then there's another important layer to this mobility ecosystem: the Delhi Metro Green Line extension running up to Asauda. Recent project updates suggest the physical work plus technical surveys are already completed, and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is on track for finalization. This 6-kilometer stretch will tie together Bahadurgarh's residential belts with the wider Delhi Metro grid, and it also includes six newly planned stations. But there's more than just rail here; the plan also calls for a 6-lane elevated road built above the metro route, and yep, it's specifically meant to decongest the cramped Bahadurgarh-Asauda corridor. Adding to this multimodal push, the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway is also set to connect with UER 2 (Urban Extension Road 2) in this region, which further strengthens the area's road network and gives more seamless long-distance highway access alongside the metro corridor. Construction is expected to start somewhere between 2027 and 2029, while operations are targeted for 2030. Overall, this extension should further lock in the city's reputation as a super accessible urban node, rather quickly. The Evolving Real Estate Landscape Infrastructure of this magnitude naturally pushes the real estate sector forward. And with this whole connectivity boom already on the horizon, RPS Group has quietly, but strategically, expanded its presence in Bahadurgarh through the launch of RPS Azalea. This is not just one more residential plot you can skip. It feels more like a carefully mapped township, meant to become the real nucleus for the city's upcoming residential growth, kind of the place where things start compounding. Located in Sector 29, RPS Azalea stretches across 19.79 acres, and it's backed by a strong ₹110 crore investment. It's being developed under the government's Deen Dayal Jan Awas Yojana scheme, so the intent is clear, to serve the aspirations of the upwardly mobile middle class. You get residential plots in the 125 to 180 square yards range, so families can choose and shape their dream home without too much rigidity. The expected delivery target is around 2027, and honestly that lines up nicely with the broader infrastructural leap happening in the region, as if the timing was already pre-decided. Connecting the Dots: Multi-Modal Commute and Quality of Life The real strength of this ecosystem is the way it all connects. The high-speed rail corridor and the expanded Metro Green Line are built to work together smoothly with the existing Delhi-Rohtak road network, the local bus terminals, and the expressways. In the end, you get a kind of dependable multimodal transport junction, where daily travelers can pick among a few commuting methods without too much hassle. If you're a professional based in central Delhi, the idea of a quick around 45-minute ride by high-speed rail, or a calmer route through the Metro, changes what "home" means. It makes Bahadurgarh feel less like a far-off suburb and more like a genuinely convenient base. That combination of fast public transit, plus thoughtfully planned new communities such as RPS Azalea, tackles the two main worries most buyers have: time spent commuting and the day-to-day livability. With Delhi's growing density and rising expenses, this setup feels like a sensible lower-pressure option, while still keeping professional access firmly intact. A Commitment to Sustainable Growth From a developer's perspective, the direction is pretty clear. The way fast-speed rail ties in with a smooth metro extension, along with the road network widening, and then the premium yet affordable residential townships... that mix feels like the blueprint for a smart and sustainable city. The RPS Group stays steady about this region, not changing its stance just because time moves on. The aim is to provide homes that feel great right away, and at the same time safeguard long-term value as the city keeps evolving. Bahadurgarh has moved beyond the stage of being an "emerging" location. It's actively shifting into a developed, high-demand destination across NCR. Infrastructure work is on a fast track, and private developers are introducing world-class amenities into the picture. So in the coming years, the city is ready to take on that responsibility of being a top-tier residential choice for thousands of Delhi-NCR residents.