Lancaster City Council showcases landmark decarbonisation project

Lancaster City Council showcases landmark decarbonisation project at Salt Ayre Leisure Centre – largely powered by solar 

Big decisions and ambitious thinking have transformed a popular Lancaster leisure centre which could now be a green print for other designs across the country. 

Our two-minute video features an ambitious decarbonisation programme at Salt Ayre Leisure.

Lancaster City Council, serving a diverse district covering city, coast and countryside in the northwest of England, has made significant strides towards its ambitious goal of becoming net zero by 2030. 

With a population of nearly 150,000, the council has focused on reducing emissions, particularly those from natural gas used for heating buildings. 

Recognising the financial challenges of such large-scale projects, the council seized the opportunity presented by Phase 1 of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.   

To support their ambitions, they were awarded £6.8 million funding, which was used to implement a range of measures including air source heat pumps​, solar PV​, double glazing​, hot water distribution improvements​, building energy management systems, ​LED lighting, secondary glazing​, heating pipework insulation​ and ground source heat pumps​. 

These efforts have resulted in a 35% reduction in the council’s emissions from natural gas, a significant step towards their net zero target. 

A key beneficiary of this funding was the Salt Ayre Leisure Centre, which is understood to be the first net zero leisure centre in the UK. 

Today the leisure centre is being largely powered by new solar array technology installed at a nearby former landfill site. This site, which could not be used for traditional construction due to landfill cap, now serves as a visible testament to the council’s commitment to renewable energy. 

In our video, Elliot Grimshaw, service lead in energy and sustainability at Lancaster City Council, said: “It’s a really good use of a piece of land that you couldn’t ordinarily do a great deal with. You can’t build on these landfill sites, especially with our landfill cap.  

“The CO2 savings are around 640 tonnes a year.  

“It’s been a fantastic opportunity to deliver such a key project for Lancaster and I think as far as we’re aware, this is the first carbon-neutral leisure centre in the UK, certainly the first to be completely off gas.  

“It’s a landmark project for us and certainly one that we’re really proud of.” 

The project included extensive upgrades to the building’s fabric and heating systems, as well as the installation of a large solar array on a nearby landfill site. This 1.3-megawatt solar farm, connected to the site with a direct wire and consisting of 2,880 450-watt LONGi modules, is expected to generate approximately 1.1 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, covering around 30% of the centre’s energy needs. 

During the spring and summer months, that’s seeing them off-grid, covering the centre's entire demand completely for up to 12 hours a day.  

This means that Salt Ayre Leisure Centre, a flagship facility for Lancaster City Council, now runs entirely on renewable energy.  

The centre, which features a swimming pool, gym, café, soft play area and climbing walls, has become a popular destination for residents.  

The holistic approach to decarbonisation includes replacing all glazing with more thermally efficient alternatives, installing LED lighting throughout and replacing the gas heating system with a two-stage heat pump system.  

Lancaster City Council was awarded the Best Decarbonisation Initiative of 2022 by the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE). 

Lancaster City Council was one of nine organisations interviewed in a 36-minute documentary celebrating progress toward a net zero public sector in England. 

You can watch the full documentary on our YouTube channel. 

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