Stepnell has installed 800 new solar panels on the roof of a Leicester leisure centre.

A total of £1 million has been invested in the project, which saw the old and leaky roof at Aylestone Leisure replaced, and a new 3,600m2 array of photovoltaic (PV) panels installed.

The work at Aylestone Leisure Centre is part of a citywide programme of investment in energy efficient improvements to Leicester City Council buildings which will help reduce their carbon footprint and make them cheaper to run.

Work to install the new PV array at Aylestone Leisure Centre has been supported by up to £500,000 from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), as part of Leicester City Council's successful bid for over £4m of match-funding to support a range of projects that aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

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Aylestone Leisure Centre has also recently benefitted from improvements to its main reception area, a newly refurbished dance studio and a dedicated group cycling studio.

The improvements are part of a wider £4.7 million city council investment programme which has also seen upgrades at Braunstone Leisure Centre, Spence Street Sports Centre, Evington Leisure Centre and Cossington Street Sports Centre.

Commenting on the new panels, Deputy city mayor Cllr Adam Clarke, who leads on climate, economy and culture, said: "This major investment in improving the energy efficiency of Aylestone Leisure Centre represents another important step forward in the city's response to the climate emergency.

"With over 800 panels, it is the largest array of solar PV panels we have installed on any of our buildings so far.

"The need to retrofit and decarbonise existing buildings I among the biggest challenges presented by the climate emergency, but there are huge benefits. By investing in making our buildings more energy efficient, we can dramatically cut our carbon emissions and saving hundreds of thousands of pounds a year in energy costs – something that is very welcome in these challenging times."