Following Sport England and council investment in 2025 to install triple glazing, Appleby Leisure Centre is receiving further investment this Spring, to bring more carbon and energy saving benefits to the building.
Council decarbonisation plans aimed to get Westmorland and Furness to a carbon net zero position by 2037 were given an additional boost, thanks to £1.75 million in funding, confirmed in 2025, for works at four key buildings.
The council applied to the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme to fund works at Kendal Leisure Centre, Appleby Leisure Centre, Kendal Market and South Lakeland House, as the gas boilers in each building were due for replacement.
The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and delivered by Salix. The programme enables public authorities to fund works to decarbonise their estates in support of national decarbonisation targets.
All buildings will have their gas boilers replaced with air source heat pumps alongside additional energy saving works.
The council will match fund a minimum of 12% of the project costs from their prioritised capital maintenance budget, taking the total project value to over £2 million.
The estimated annual total carbon emissions saved from carrying out the above projects is 343.2 tCO2e, the equivalent of driving around the world 52 times.
This grant award builds on previous successful applications for funding, including the Low Carbon Skills Fund award, also delivered by Salix, for decarbonisation assessments at all 69 council managed schools and funding for triple glazing and solar PV works at Appleby and Penrith Leisure Centres from Sport England’s Swimming Pool Support Fund.
The first project to get underway in the latest round of investments will begin at Appleby Leisure Centre. £388,000 from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme will be used to replace the existing gas boiler with a more energy efficient air source heat pump. To increase energy and cost savings further, the building’s plant room pipes will be insulated to reduce heat loss.
Appleby Leisure Centre will also benefit from the installation of solar PV panels onto the roof so the building can generate green electricity, funded by Sport England’s Swimming Pool support fund.
To allow these works to happen safely for leisure centre users and staff, there will be some disruption to normal sessions including partial closures.
Works will be taking place between 26 January for an anticipated period of five months. The current planned changes to services are as follows:
• Monday 26 January to Sunday 15 February: Works begin – no disruption to services, but there will be contractors on site
• Monday 16 February: Solar PV panel installation works begin - the pool will remain open until the start of the boiler works and contractors will be working in non-public areas and on the roof
• From Monday 2 March: Estimated closure date for the swimming pool, following removal of the existing gas boilers. Closure dates will be confirmed and communicated to centre users
• The gym and changing facilities will stay open throughout
• There will be reduced parking on site to accommodate the contractor’s compound during the works. To ease congestion on the site we would advise those who are able, to consider walking when possible, look at public transport routes or park in an alternative location. Due to the flood risk management project also taking place in the town, please check current updates on traffic management and car parking from the Environment Agency
Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) who manage Appleby Leisure Centre on behalf of the council will be in contact with membership holders and swimming lesson customers with further information before the boiler works begin.
GLL are contacting schools directly to discuss alternative health and physical activity sessions.
During the works, Appleby memberships will be accepted at all other GLL Cumbria Centres, the closest being Penrith Leisure Centre, Kendal Leisure Centre and The Sands Centre, Carlisle. Full timetables for these centres are available on the GLL website and in the centres. Sessions for these alternative centres will be available to book via the Better UK app, the GLL contact centre and at GLL leisure centre reception desks.
Cllr Giles Archibald, Cabinet Member for Climate, Biodiversity and Environmental Services, said:
“Westmorland and Furness aspires to be a place where people can live, work, and thrive, while leading the transition to carbon net zero. Guided by the Carbon Management Strategy 2024–2029, the Council is progressing towards its goal of achieving Scope 1 and 2 net zero carbon emissions by 2037, supported by a clear timeline of actions to reduce emissions.
“Securing funding through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme aligns directly with the Council’s carbon reduction strategy, and the building decarbonisation projects it enables will make a tangible contribution to lowering Scope 1 and 2 emissions.”
Cllr Andrew Jarvis Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance said:
“We are making substantial investments in energy saving improvements across our buildings and have successfully secured funding from several sources to advance our net zero ambitions.
“The start of works associated with the latest round of funding from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme is a positive step forward, reinforcing our commitment to improving building efficiency and reducing costs for the council.”
Director of public sector decarbonisation at Salix, Ian Rodger said:
“This investment isn’t just about reducing carbon – it’s about people.
“Once the work is complete, visitors to Appleby Leisure Centre will enjoy a warmer, more comfortable building, improved facilities and a better overall experience, while knowing they’re using a centre that’s fit for the future and kinder to the environment.
“We are proud to deliver this funding supporting communities across the country.”