Council spends £1.4m to cut carbon emissions at Buxton Pool

The council hopes to replace the conventional gas boilers with air source heat pumps and solar panels

Work is due to start on a £1.4m project to cut a swimming pool's carbon emissions.

High Peak Borough Council said it had secured £1.29m, which it was supplementing with its own money, for the project at Buxton Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre.

It hoped to replace the conventional gas boilers with air source heat pumps and solar panels.

It said it believed this would save around 200 tonnes of CO2 every year.

'Game-changer'

The authority has secured the funds from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and is supplementing it with a further £175,000.

It has set a target of carbon neutrality in its internal operations and the services it delivers by 2030 and is working with partners to help achieve this.

Rob Wilks, head of service commissioning at the council, said: "The council is delighted to have secured this substantial grant to decarbonise these facilities in Buxton as we work towards driving down emissions at all our leisure facilities across the borough to help meet our net zero commitments.

"This project will really be a game-changer and we are looking forward to seeing the positive impact it will have when it's completed early next year."