Council is "installing solar panels at three of its leisure centres"

The leisure centres in Ivybridge, Dartmouth and Totnes will take a bold step forward, after South Hams District Council "committed to fitting the facilities with solar panels". 

A spokesperson for SHDC said: "Plans are moving forward to install panels at each of the three centres, drastically reducing their energy bills, helping to make each of the centres more financially sustainable.  

"The panels will also have a huge impact on the environment, saving around 90 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. The yearly CO₂ emissions savings from the investment is the equivalent of flying from London to New York more than 50 times. 

"Helping the environment is a key priority for South Hams District Council. The council is committed to reducing its own carbon footprint, and its leisure centres have been identified as one of its biggest emitters. 

"The financial savings made from energy costs will help to secure the long-term sustainability of the centres, so they can each continue to benefit their communities."

Cllr Julian Brazil, South Hams Lead Member for Community Services, Operations and Leisure, said: “It’s fantastic to see this project moving forward; it’s an ambition we’ve held for the centres for a long time, and so I’m delighted to see it get to this point. 

“The environmental benefits from installing the panels are huge; the panels will have a huge beneficial impact on reducing the council’s carbon emissions, helping us strive towards our own ambitions of fighting climate change where we can. 

“The installation of the panels will also lower the effects of rising costs for all three centres, which are a threat to many facilities like ours. The panels should help to keep membership and entry prices as low as possible for users.” 

Anthony Cawley, CEO of Fusion Lifestyle, said: "We are really excited about the upgrades at the centres in Ivybridge, Dartmouth and Totnes. The new solar panels will make all three centres more environmentally friendly, helping keep costs down for centre users and future proof them for generations to come."

The council has already moved forward with a project to install solar panels at Quayside Leisure Centre in Kingsbridge. 238 panels are being installed on the roof at Quayside, which should save around 27 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year; that’s the equivalent of planting around 1,222 trees annually.