Work begins on £900k city gym solar panel scheme

The council says the leisure centre was used about 350,000 times last year

Work is due to get under way on installing more than 600 solar panels at a council-owned leisure centre.

Norwich City Council said developing Riverside Leisure Centre on Wherry Road would reduce the building's electricity bills by a third and cut 75 tonnes of carbon emissions per year.

The council committed £375,000 towards the project, while the government and Sport England provided a combined £520,000.

The site's car park was expected to be closed for six weeks, while the council warned of "some short-term disruption".

Emma Hampton, Labour city councillor and cabinet member for climate change, said: "By placing solar panels on the roof and in the car park, we're putting that empty space to good use – something we should aim to do more and more across the city as we work towards a net zero Norwich by 2045."

The council said the new energy system was expected to start producing power from April - with full project completion expected by the summer.

The initiative received planning permission last year.

Places Leisure, which has run the leisure centre since 2013, informed members and customers of the work, the council added.

Blue-badge spaces would be made available from Tuesday.