Leisure Centres Go Green: Council Achieves Major Decarbonisation Milestone
Vale of White Horse District Council completes significant project, replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy at Abingdon and Wantage leisure centres.
By Laura Medhurst
••3 min read
AI
Generic image of modern air source heat pumps and solar panels installed on the roof of a building, with a blurred green landscape in the background.
The Vale of White Horse District Council has successfully completed a major decarbonisation project at its leisure centres in Abingdon and Wantage, significantly reducing carbon emissions and moving closer to its net zero target.
The project, which began construction at White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre in Abingdon in February last year, has seen the replacement of old gas boilers and combined heat and power systems with modern air source heat pumps. Additionally, 600 solar panels have been installed on the centre’s roof.
Since their connection in December 2025, the solar panels have generated over 175,000 kWh of electricity, enough to power approximately 70 average homes annually. This transition means the leisure centre no longer relies on fossil fuels for heating or lighting, leading to a substantial reduction in carbon emissions and a more sustainable facility for residents.
This initiative is part of the council’s broader strategy to decarbonise its buildings and reduce emissions from its operations. Funding for these energy-efficient measures was secured through the government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), with the Vale of White Horse District Council receiving nearly £6 million. Additional support came from the council’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) programme and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
With the completion of work at both the White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre in Abingdon and Wantage Leisure Centre this summer, the council estimates an overall carbon emission reduction of approximately 25 per cent, aiding its goal of achieving net zero operations by 2030.
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"In addition to hugely reducing carbon emissions, the use of renewable energy at the leisure centres will make them cheaper to run and less vulnerable to sudden rises in energy costs, making them much more economically viable in the long term."
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"The completion of this project is a significant milestone in our efforts to tackle climate change. By replacing fossil fuel heating with modern renewable technology, White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre is now future-proofed for years to come. The work at our leisure centres in Abingdon and Wantage will cut our carbon emissions by more than a quarter, building on the successful decarbonisation work already completed at Faringdon Leisure Centre."
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"Decarbonising leisure centres is about far more than reducing carbon emissions. White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre in Abingdon and Wantage Leisure Centre sit at the heart of the local communities that they serve, and this work will help create healthier, more sustainable spaces where people can be active and connect with others. By reducing energy use and emissions, they can enjoy lower operating costs while continuing to deliver the social, health and wellbeing benefits that leisure centres provide every day. Decarbonisation is an investment in people, communities and the long-term future."
