Funding awarded to improve energy efficiency of Applemore Leisure Centre

23 April 2025

We have been awarded £1.8m in funding to install new energy efficiency measures at Applemore Leisure Centre.

The funding will enable us to put a range of energy saving measures in place, including cavity wall and roof insulation, additional solar panels, and improved heating systems, such as air source heat pumps, air handling units, and low temperature hot water systems.

We have been awarded the funding through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which is delivered by Salix and run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

Cllr Dan Poole, Portfolio Holder for Communities, Safety, and Wellbeing, said: "We're grateful to have received this funding through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, which will help us to improve the energy efficiency of Applemore Leisure Centre.

With these measures, we'll reduce carbon emissions, lower running costs, and create a more sustainable future for our community. Upgrading our buildings is a key part of our commitment to tackling climate change, both locally and nationally, and I look forward to seeing the many benefits these improvements will bring to our residents, and district."

Ivan Horsfall Turner, CEO Freedom Leisure, said: "We are absolutely delighted that this funding has been awarded to support the decarbonisation of Applemore Health and Leisure. As the leisure operator, we are proud to be working in collaboration with the council on this important initiative. This investment marks a significant next step in building on the environmental improvements and renewable energy initiatives already implemented at the leisure centre, and we are excited to continue playing an active role in supporting this project from planning through to successful completion.

This is yet another example of how a strong partnership between the council and Freedom Leisure can successfully address climate change and help create greener, more energy efficient community spaces."

Ian Rodger, Director of Public Sector Decarbonisation at Salix, said: "We have no time to stand still in the face of climate change. The project at Applemore Leisure Centre will significantly reduce council carbon emissions and help it progress towards net zero goals. The local community will benefit in many ways, not least having a more sustainable leisure centre for the future."

The installation of the energy saving measures has now started at Applemore Leisure Centre and will take place over a three year phased project period. The first year of the project will include design and planning, with onsite activity due to start from 1 April 2026.

More information about our climate aims is available on our website: https://newforest.gov.uk/climatechange

More information

The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) Phase 4 provides grant funding to public sector organisations in England to install heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures in their buildings. Find out more: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/public-sector-decarbonisation-scheme

The £1.8m in funding will allow us to:

insulate the existing cavity walls and upgrade the roof insulation to improve the thermal performance of the site and reduce the heating demand.
replace four gas boilers with efficient low temperature air source heat pumps (ASHPS). These pumps will feed into the existing network of air handling units (AHUs) for space heating, heat exchangers for pool heating, and hot water cylinders.
replace two air handling units with modern package units which feature heat recovery and optimised fans, which save energy.
install low temperature hot water (LTHW) heating coils in the remaining 5 AHUs will be upgraded for compatibility with the new ASHP heat source.
install additional Solar PV to offset the increased electrical load from the ASHPs.

We are also currently installing a 110kWp solar array on the roof at Applemore Leisure Centre using grant money from the Sport England Swimming Pool Support Fund (SPSF), which was awarded in 2024. The Public Sector Decarbonisatoon Scheme grant will allow the council to install a further 59kWp array to maximise on site power generation.

In 2024, we secured £130k of funding through PSDS Phase 3c to install Air Source Heat Pumps in the east wing of Appletree Court, Lyndhurst.

We are currently exploring opportunities across the corporate and leisure portfolio where solar arrays and other carbon efficiency schemes may be installed in its existing buildings.

Salix supports the UK government in driving the transition to a low carbon future and meet challenging net zero targets. Find out more on their website: https://www.salixfinance.co.uk

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