South Kesteven District Council submits application to install solar panels at Meres Leisure Centre in Grantham as part of £4 million decarbonisation plans

Plans to install solar panels at a leisure centre could save a council over £50,000 every year.

South Kesteven District Council has submitted two planning applications to install 574 solar PV panels and a 252.56kW solar PV system at the Meres Leisure Centre in Grantham.

Currently, the centre’s annual heating bill is £199,125.

If approved, the centre’s heating bills could come down by 26.37%, saving just over £52,500 down to £146,614.

For the solar panels' predicted lifetime, this could save SKDC £1,336,995.

The application comes after the centre was awarded over £4 million, including £3.5 million from the Swimming Pool Support Fund and just under £500,000 from SKDC, to try and reduce its carbon emissions by over 550 tonnes every year.

The solar panels are predicted to generate 199.80kW of power.

Back in July, councillors praised the efficient energy upgrades as a “fantastic investment” and it showed SKDC’s “ongoing commitment to leisure in our district”.