Events and News

Multimillion decarbonisation projects soon to be complete at Mid Devon leisure centres

Since October 2022, the Council's leisure centres at Crediton and Tiverton have been significantly affected as major works to install ground and air source heat pumps got underway, but all in a good cause. Customers have responded positively to the news that their local leisure centres are becoming greener, and the leisure team has made sure the public were kept informed.

Boreholes being prepared in 2022

A switch to alternative energy systems - harvesting renewable heat sources and generating electricity from solar power - helps to 'decarbonise' the Tiverton and Crediton leisure centres by moving away from costly, harmful fossil fuels.

The main works are now complete at Exe Valley in Tiverton, and near completion at Lords Meadow in Crediton where customers still face some disruption until the end of March.

Lee Chester, Operations Manager for Leisure Services, said:

“We are very proud of our leisure services, which offer residents and visitors the opportunity to reach their fitness and health goals, offering a place to keep active, stay healthy, make friends and learn new skills."

“This funding has allowed us to further improve our facilities and progress towards our Climate ambition of becoming net-zero by 2030, despite cuts in Government funding.”

As part of the installation of ground source heat pump, deep boreholes were drilled to a depth of over 200 metres beneath leisure centre car parks, to access the heat below. Combined with air-source heat pumps, these new systems enable a substantial reduction in gas use at Exe Valley and Lords Meadow Leisure Centre. The Lords Meadow heat system also links up with their biomass boiler, burning wood fuel.

Additional solar PV was fitted to each building plus the funding was used to install bespoke LED floodlights on the outdoor pitches and courts, to further enhance the sports facilities and cut energy consumption. Works have progressed well against the completion timescale, project-managed by Tim Powell.

The works are being funded through £2.8 million of grants the Council secured from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, delivered by Salix on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade (formerly BEIS). The scheme aims to put the public sector at the forefront of decarbonising buildings in the UK. Success in the bid for £2.8 million award followed a previous award of £300k in 2021 from used to upgrade to energy efficient LED lights at all three of the Council’s leisure centres.