Plans for solar panels to help cut energy costs at council buildings on Wearside are due to go before councillors for decision this month.

Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee will discuss two separate applications from the local authority for solar panel schemes.

The first application aims to make Hetton Community Pool and Wellness Centre greener with a new “solar PV array” with a “capacity of approximately 189.64 kW”.

Submitted designs state the solar PV system would include more than 430 ‘solar modules’ which would also include a “strengthened glass front cover with anti-reflective coating”.

Leechmere Independent Living Centre, Sunderland. Credit: Google Maps

placeholder image — Leechmere Independent Living Centre, Sunderland. Credit: Google Maps

The plans follow the leisure centre receiving a £410,000 national grant from Sport England, targeted at ‘easing the financial pressures that councils and leisure operators are facing’ due to rising energy and general operating costs.

Sunderland City Council previously said panels would lower the building’s carbon footprint and make savings on energy bills and that funding was earmarked for other energy-saving devices, including a scheme to warm the water for the centre’s swimming pool.

The second application includes a solar PV array with a capacity of around 221 kW(p) at the council’s Leechmere Independent Living Centre in the Leechmere Industrial Estate.

Council documents state the development would include the installation of 288 solar panels to the building’s roof and would lead to “increased energy efficiency” while making a “minor contribution to carbon neutrality objectives”.

Hetton Community Pool. Picture issued by Sunderland City Council

A council committee report adds: “Although consultation comments from environmental health are awaited […] it is considered that the solar panels are unlikely to create glare or noise that would adversely impact local amenity or occupiers of neighbouring land.”

Both planning applications have been recommended for approval by council planning officers and a decision is expected to be made by councillors later this month.

Sunderland City Council’s Planning and Highways Committee will consider the plans at their next meeting on October 21, 2024, at City Hall.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 5.30pm and will be open to the public.