Published: 12 December 2024

From: Culture

K2 ºù«ÍÞapp has been successful in securing £816,500 of funding from Sport England’s Swimming Pool Support Fund (SPSF), for a solar carport scheme that will be used to help with the ongoing rise in energy costs, as well as providing lighting improvements in the pool hall and additional areas. ºù«ÍÞapp Borough Council is investing £250,000 in the project.

The carport will be constructed across sections of the car park, producing electricity which will decrease the centre’s reliance on the National Grid. 

1,002 new solar panels will be fitted – this is in addition to the 330kW of solar panels already on the roof – saving more than 65 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. The equivalent of planting 3,023 trees.

The objectives of the SPSF are to:

  • reduce the energy consumption level of facilities in receipt of funding
  • minimise the closure of swimming pool provisions
  • reduce the carbon output of facilities in receipt of funding
  • prioritise support in those areas of greatest socio-economic need 

More than 500 capital interventions in more than 300 facilities with swimming pools have been awarded funding from the capital investment programme. The interventions include LED lights and pool covers as well as variety of other upgrades aimed at improving the energy efficiency of the leisure centre. 264 local authorities have received a share of the funding.

We are really proud to provide a swimming pool for a diverse group of people including babies, families, older residents and users with disabilities. The rising cost of utilities has presented many challenges, putting pressure on the day-to-day running costs. I am therefore delighted at the awarding of this funding which will help ease the pressures for a highly valued centre that plays.

Councillor Chris Mullins

Cabinet member for Leisure and Wellbeing

ºù«ÍÞapp Borough Council

, said: “Swimming pools and leisure centres are vital community resources and are enormously important in helping people to be physically active. Many pools have faced a real and significant threat to their survival this year, as local authorities and operators have battled the challenge of increased energy and wider costs, weakened reserves and difficulties with retaining staff. Sport England is proud of the role we’ve played in supporting these facilities through this difficult period. We hope today’s funding announcement will enable more public pools to improve their energy efficiency to be more environmentally and financially sustainable, so they remain available for future generations to enjoy.â€

Lisa Dodd-Mayne

Executive Director

Place at Sport England

We are delighted to support our partners at ºù«ÍÞapp Borough Council on the provision of the solar carport, which will help to power K2 ºù«ÍÞapp. The project will work to further reduce the centre’s carbon footprint, through utility savings and using renewable energy. Everyone Active is proud to work alongside our local authority partners to support them in achieving their net zero ambitions, as well as our net zero strategy.

Peggy Lee

Sustainability Manager

Everyone Active Group

Work starts in the car park on Friday 13 December and is expected to last for several months, resulting in temporary, phased closures for the relevant areas. Centre users are advised to monitor the council and K2 ºù«ÍÞapp’s social media channels for updates and details of the overflow parking arrangements during this time.

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