Council to spend more than £3m to slash emissions

Councillor Beverley Hardman (left) said the measures would "increase the long-term sustainability of our leisure centres"

More than £3m will be invested in Wychavon to slash carbon emissions at two of the district’s leisure centres.

Wychavon District Council was awarded more than £2.9m by the government to help deliver low carbon heat and power systems at Evesham and Pershore Leisure Centres.

Councillors have agreed to support the project with £400,000 of Wychavon’s own money.

Councillor Beverley Hardman said: "This will make a significant contribution to helping us meet our carbon reduction target while helping to increase the long-term sustainability of our leisure centres."

The project will see the current gas heating systems at both centres, as well as the combined heat and power unit at Evesham Leisure Centre, replaced with air source heat pumps.

The existing pool hall air handling units will be replaced with an in-built air source heat pump.

Destratification fans will also be installed and solar panels will be put on the roofs of both centres.

Wychavon District Council said the measures would cut Pershore Leisure Centre’s emissions by between 80% and 90% and Evesham Leisure Centre’s by between 60% and 70%.

The council believe that about 700 tonnes of carbon emissions a year will be saved, helping Wychavon to meet its target to reduce its carbon emissions by at least 75% by 2030.