Reducing carbon emissions at Biddulph leisure centre

Published on 15 March 2024                                                                                                                        

Work to install new technology to reduce carbon emissions at Biddulph Valley Leisure Centre is now well underway.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has secured a significant grant of  £1,910,000 from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and is supplementing this from Council funds to meet the costs of the project.

The conventional gas boilers are being replaced with state-of-the-art air source heat pumps and 246 solar panels are being installed on the roof to enhance the building's energy efficiency and reduce its impact on the environment saving around 293 tonnes of CO2 every year.

Councillor Nigel Yates, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: "The Council has a target of reaching net zero carbon in its services and internal operations by 2030 and it's schemes like this one that will help us achieve that target.

"I'm delighted with the progress being made in Biddulph and look forward to seeing the impact it will have in significantly reducing carbon emissions from this site."

The solar panels are now in place on the roof and a milestone for the project was reached recently with the delivery of the packaged plant room which includes the air source heat pumps.

The Council is investing in leisure centres across the Moorlands as part of a wider leisure transformation plan which aims to improve the facilities on offer to residents and visitors as well as improving their efficiency and impact on the environment.

Cabinet Member for Leisure and Tourism, Councillor Matt Swindlehurst, said: "Improving the quality and sustainability of our leisure centres is at the heart of our leisure transformation plans and we've made a great start at Biddulph with this project, alongside live plans we are progressing for improvements to Brough Park Leisure Centre as part of our Levelling Up programme.

"I look forward to sharing more details about our exciting plans for the future of our leisure centres in due course."