Work starts on Biddulph carbon reduction scheme

Work on a £2.4m scheme which will save more than 290 tonnes of carbon emissions every year in Biddulph has started.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has secured £1,910,000 from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and is supplementing this from Council funds to meet the costs of the project at Biddulph Valley Leisure Centre.

The project will see the conventional gas boilers replaced with state-of-the-art air source heat pumps and 246 solar panels will be 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.

The Council has set a target of reaching net zero carbon in its internal operations and the services it delivers by 2030 and is working with partners to help achieve this target for the whole District.

Councillor Nigel Yates, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said:

“I’m delighted that work is now underway on this project which is part of the wider Leisure Transformation Plan to improve the quality and sustainability of Council leisure centres across the Moorlands.

“It’s a key part of helping us achieve our carbon reduction targets and tackle our climate change challenge – something that benefits all of us so it’s great to see our contractors now on site.

“I’m very much looking forward to seeing the results of this important project in due course.”

The Council will keep any disruption associated with these works to a minimum and is not anticipating any significant periods of closure whilst they take place.

Pictured - Councillor Nigel Yates at Biddulph Valley Leisure Centre.

You can watch Councillor Yates talking about the scheme here...