Devon swimming pool to cut energy bills with solar power

Dartmouth outdoor pool paid £33,000 for just four months

An open air community pool in Devon which paid £33,000 for four months of energy bills is to build solar panels to offset costs and stay open.

Dartmouth Open Air Pool is one of 20 in the South West, and 325 in England, to receive a share of a £60m government grant.

The government said the funding aimed to secure the long-term future of public swimming pools.

The facility was granted £48,000 for solar panels and pool covers.

Jo Squires, treasurer and pool manager, said: "Once the solar panels and covers are installed and all in working order, it will help to reduce our astronomic electricity bill, which was £33,000 for just the four months we are open.

"Without this money we would have to remain closed until the electricity prices came back down again."

She said they were "slowly modernising" the 37-year-old pool, adding: "If it had to close it would be a loss to the locals who love it, as it provides a completely different swimming experience to the indoor pool."

Ashburton Swimming Pool has also received funding

Among other pools to benefit from the Government and Sport England funding was Quayside Leisure Centre in Kingsbridge, handed £77,000 for variable speed pumps and a building management system upgrade.

Parklands Leisure Centre in Okehampton said it would use £38,500 for pool covers and a variable speed filtration system, it said.

Councillor Tony Leech of West Devon Council, which runs the Okehampton centre, said it followed "hard times" amid rising energy costs, and the cash would help ensure the future of the "vitally important community facility".

"Our leisure centres bring people together, help people improve their physical and mental health and are hugely important to community wellbeing," he added.

Sports Minister Stuart Andrew said millions of people swim every year in England but some pools were struggling financially.

He said the funding had helped more than 300 facilities, with interventions including LED lights and solar power panels.

Other pools to benefit include Exe Valley Leisure Centre in Tiverton (£375,000), Dawlish Leisure Centre (£168,000) and St Ives Leisure Centre (£156,000).

Also on the list was Ashburton swimming pool, which was saved from closure by community funding.

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