Workington Leisure Centre is now powering forward on its sustainability journey with the successful installation of a 160kW solar panels, set to provide approximately 20% of the facility’s total electricity demand.
The project is expected to result in significant cost savings for the centre over time, while also supporting broader environmental goals set by Cumberland Council.
The solar initiative was made possible through Capital Grant funding from the Sport England Swimming Pool Support Fund, part of a national scheme that has distributed over £80 million to improve the energy efficiency of public swimming pools across the UK. This grant is funded by the Exchequer from His Majesty’s Government, helping public facilities become more financially and environmentally sustainable.
Locally, the project was led and facilitated by Cumberland Council in collaboration with partners Day Cummins Ltd and Petit Singleton Associates Ltd, and delivered by solar installation specialists Love Solar Ltd, based locally in Penrith.
Councillor Anne Quilter, Cumberland Council’s Executive Member for Vibrant and Healthy Places, said:
“This is a fantastic example of how targeted investment and strong partnerships can help us build a greener, more sustainable future for our communities. This installation not only contributes directly to our Carbon and Energy Management Plan, but also aligns with our wider commitment to tackling the climate emergency and building environmental resilience across Cumberland.”
Tom Rice, Partnership Manager at Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) who operate Workington Leisure Centre and the Sands Centre, Carlisle on Cumberland Council’s behalf, said: “One of our key priorities is to futureproof leisure facilities across Cumberland and champion environmental resilience. We constantly strive to reduce the carbon footprint of our centres and utilise renewable energy as much as possible in a bid to decrease energy bills by lowering the centre’s reliance on the national grid. These cost savings will be reinvested so that we can continue our ongoing programme of improvements to enhance the customer experience and offer the best possible leisure facilities for local people. Working collaboratively with partners, it supports the shared vision of building, creating and shaping sustainable communities.”
In addition to cutting energy use on-site, early performance data shows that during periods of high solar generation, surplus electricity is being exported back to the national grid -creating an additional source of financial benefit for the centre.
The Sands Centre in Carlisle and Wigton Baths- also received support through Sport England Capital funding from The National Lottery. An investment of £73,000 was secured from Sport England as part of the second phase of the Government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund (SPSF) to support capital investment to improve energy efficiency at the Sands Centre, Carlisle. These sites have completed their own energy efficiency upgrades, ensuring communities across Cumberland can enjoy more sustainable and cost-effective public leisure services.