Manchester City Council has announced an almost £1.2 million scheme to decarbonise Woodhouse Park Active Lifestyle Centre after securing a Government grant to help with the project.
The Council has been awarded around £300,000 in the latest round of the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and will contribute the remaining £879,000 to cut 52 tonnes of carbon emissions a year by making the leisure centre and community facility more energy efficient through the installation of an air source heat pump and LED lighting.
The move is another step towards the Council’s goal of halving its direct carbon emissions by 2025 as it works towards becoming zero carbon by 2038 or earlier – in line with the citywide target.
The money has been awarded in the latest round of the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which is initiated by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and delivered by Salix Finance, as part of a joint bid administered by Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
The Council has previously secured around £30m in funding for carbon reduction schemes to install solar PV cells, air and ground source heat pumps, LED lighting and other energy saving features in key buildings across its estate. Since 2019/20 a 30% reduction in carbon emissions has been achieved.
Work on the Woodhouse Park Active Lifestyle Centre scheme is due to be completed by the end of March 2024.
Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Environment for Manchester City Council, said:
“Our buildings are the Council’s biggest source of direct emissions and one of the areas where we are leading by example in cutting greenhouse gases. This latest scheme will be another contribution to that cause.”
Salix Director of Programme Ian Rodger said:
“We are looking forward to working with Manchester City Council on this project which will help cut carbon emissions and will make this well-used community facility more energy efficient. We will support the Council throughout this decarbonisation journey, helping it meet its net zero targets.”
