Grantham Meres leisure centre to undergo £4 million decarbonisation upgrade
A £4 million plan to upgrade a leisure centre could significantly reduce its carbon emissions, council leaders will be told.
South Kesteven District Council cabinet will receive an update on the Grantham Meres Leisure Centre decarbonisation plans, including solar PV panels and a low-carbon heating system, at a meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, July 9).
New air source heat pump system will replace gas boilers, saving energy and reducing costs for Leisure SK Ltd.
The scheme aims to cut the centre's carbon emissions by over 550 tonnes annually, contributing to the council's 30% reduction target by 2030.
The project’s total value stands at £4,080,000, with £3,587,500 covered by grant funding and the remaining £492,500 contributed by SKDC.
Cabinet members will be asked to acknowledge the progress on the scheme and delegate authority for awarding contracts to the deputy chief executive, in consultation with the cabinet member for environment and waste.
A council report said: “To achieve a significant reduction in a centre’s carbon emissions, all gas consumption for heating systems will need to be replaced.
“The predominant technology to facilitate this is heat pumps. Due to the high efficiencies of electric heat pumps, there is a net reduction in energy consumption and carbon emissions.
“Nevertheless, as the technology is electrically powered and electricity remains around four times more expensive than gas, efforts need to be made to design a new system optimally to reduce running costs as well as maximising carbon savings.”
Funding for the project includes a significant grant from Salix as part of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), with additional support from the council’s Local Priorities Reserve.
The initiative aligns with the council’s commitment to net-zero by 2050.
Key project milestones include the completion of detailed technical designs by April 2025 and the installation and commissioning of the new heating system by April 2026.
