A sunny outlook for leisure centres in Didcot and Wheatley
Users of Didcot Wave Leisure Centre and Park Sports Centre in Wheatley can be assured they have bright, sustainable futures thanks to £3m investment in cleaner, greener technologies.
South Oxfordshire District Council has been successful in its bid for government funding to the tune of £1,490,475 towards installing energy efficiency measures including solar panels and air source heat pumps to replace end of life gas-fired boilers at the council-owned leisure centres at Didcot and Wheatley.
Both South Oxfordshire District Council and Oxfordshire County Council – which has a joint use agreement at Parks Sports Centre – will put in the additional £1,582,570 to complete the required works by spring 2026.
Pic shows Park Sports Centre (above)
When all the new renewable energy measures are added it will save over 200 tonnes in carbon emissions each year as so much of the energy needed to run the leisure centres will be soon be renewable rather than from fossil fuels. This will reduce South Oxfordshire District Council’s overall emissions by 6.9 per cent.
The funding has been provided from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Phase 3c (PSDS3c) which is delivered by Salix Finance on behalf of the government. PSDS3c, run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, aims to tackle emissions from heating public sector buildings, aid a green recovery and support the UK’s 2050 net zero target and clean growth goals.
Councillor Maggie Filipova-Rivers, South Oxfordshire District Council Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing, said: “This is such good news for the centres and the people who use them. The energy bills are expected to reduce as a result of this decarbonisation programme, which means the leisure centres are sustainable both economically and from a climate point of view.”
Councillor Freddie Van Mierlo, South Oxfordshire District Council cabinet member for climate change and nature recovery, said, “This is great news for our communities. Leisure centres are energy hungry and a major source of the council’s carbon emissions. This investment is therefore a double win – we are both safeguarding the environment and protecting consumers’ and taxpayers’ wallets.”
Director of Programmes Ian Rodger said: “It is very clear that we face huge net zero challenges, and we have no time to waste in addressing our carbon footprint.
“At Salix, we’re delighted to be able to work with South Oxfordshire District Council on improving the energy efficiency of such vital community buildings. These leisure centres are a true hub of activity for local people.
“The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme funding will help not only make these buildings more energy efficient, but they will be better venues to work in and visit.”
Ends
Notes to editors
About Salix: Salix’s role is to support the UK government in driving the transition to a low carbon future and meet challenging net zero targets. We deliver and administer grant and loan funding on behalf of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Department for Education and the Scottish and Welsh governments. This is delivered across the public sector as well as housing.
The schemes we deliver provide funding for energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation projects for public sector buildings as well as the housing sector. Our schemes are dedicated to reducing carbon emissions and supporting the government’s ambitious net zero targets. These programmes include the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, Home Upgrade Grant, the Low Carbon Skills Fund and Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund.
We also play an important role in increasing awareness of energy efficiency and heat decarbonisation across the public sector throughout the UK. Our teams work closely with the public sector organisations throughout their decarbonisation journey, from the moment a grant is allocated to the moment the scheme is fully operational.
In January 2023 our role expanded and we were appointed delivery agent for Wave 2 of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and the Home Upgrade Grant schemes. These schemes provide funding for energy saving measures for social housing rented homes as well as owner occupied homes.
Main pic: Didcot Wave
