Solar-powered swimming to make Sunderland greener after Sport England cash approved for Hetton Community Pool

Solar-powered swimming is set to help make Sunderland a greener city.

Hetton Community Pool and Wellness Centre has received a £410,00 grant to help cut its energy costs.

The money is earmarked for solar panels and other energy-saving devices to heat the building, including warming the water for its swimming pool.

Sunderland City Council said the panels will help lower the building’s carbon footprint and make savings on its energy bills.

The local authority said the city already has a low carbon framework and pledge that is driving down emissions to help make council operations carbon neutral.

Money for the Hetton energy saving project came from a national Sport England grant.

The funding is targeted at ‘easing the financial pressures that councils and leisure operators are facing because of recent rises in energy and general operating costs..

Gerry Taylor, executive d of Health, Housing and Communities at the council, said: "It isn’t just households that have seen their energy bills rise in recent years.

“So thanks to this grant from Sport England we’re now beginning to map out and draw up more detail for our energy savings investments at Hetton pool and wellness centre.

"Installing solar panels and more LED lights will save on energy bills and cut carbon emissions.

“This in turn helps the environment by lowering our carbon footprint, helps with the longer-term plan for going carbon neutral, helps save money for leisure and sports centre users, and for all council-tax payers.

“The grant for the work is very much what would could be called an 'invest to save' project.

"Subject to more specifications and details, and how we deliver this, centre users could see work beginning in coming months.

“We’ve set out how we are aiming to see Sunderland and the Coalfield area move toward becoming carbon neutral, and as a healthy city we are continuing to update and make our leisure centres accessible to all residents."

Sunderland is one of 264 councils to receive the funding that can go towards solar panels, LED lights and pool covers as well as a variety of other improvements aimed at improving the energy efficiency of public facilities with pools.

The council's leisure service partner is Everyone Active.

Everyone Active contract manager Ian Bradgate said: "It is great news that these investments will reduce Hetton's carbon footprint going forward. Everyone Active is proud to work alongside the council in meeting its Net Zero ambitions as part of our own Net Zero Strategy."

Nationally, Sport England has provided £20million via the National Lottery and just over £40million has been provided by the Government as part of a commitment to support the long-term sustainability of public leisure.

Sport England's Lisa Dodd-Mayne, executive eirector for Place, said: "Swimming pools and leisure centres are vital community resources and are enormously important in helping people to be physically active.

"Many pools have faced a real and significant threat to their survival this year, as local authorities and operators have battled the challenge of increased energy and wider costs, weakened reserves and difficulties with retaining staff.

"Sport England is proud of the role we’ve played in supporting these facilities through this difficult period.

“We hope the funding announcement will enable more public pools to improve their energy efficiency to be more environmentally and financially sustainable, so they remain available for future generations to enjoy."