Willmott Dixon has been appointed by North Herts Council to deliver a £15.8 million programme aimed at decarbonising three key leisure centres in Hitchin, Royston and Letchworth.

The project, one of the largest leisure centre decarbonisation schemes in the region, will see significant upgrades made to reduce carbon emissions and enhance energy efficiency. Measures will include the replacement of outdated gas boilers with air source heat pumps, installation of solar panels, improved insulation and glazing, upgraded air handling units, and the introduction of energy-efficient systems across the facilities.

The initiative aims to cut CO₂ emissions by more than 60 per cent at the three sites, supporting North Herts Council’s wider objective of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

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The contract was awarded through the SCAPE Construction Framework following the council’s successful application for £7.74 million in funding from the government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, administered by Salix Finance. Willmott Dixon’s decarbonisation team supported the funding application process.

Councillor Mick Debenham, executive member for environment, leisure, and green spaces at North Herts Council, said: "This is a major step forward in making our leisure centres fit for the future. These upgrades will not only cut carbon and reduce energy use, they'll help create better, more modern leisure facilities for our residents to enjoy."

Steve Kitchen, operations director at Willmott Dixon, commented: "As a company with a strong commitment to sustainability, we're looking forward to working with North Herts Council in reducing carbon emissions and enhancing energy efficiency across vital community facilities. This supports our Now or Never strategy to help create greener, more sustainable public spaces for future generations."