Southwark has successfully secured over £11 million of new government funding for clean energy projects.
The £10m of funding has been awarded under the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme which is run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and delivered by Salix, to support the retrofit of public estates.
This will be invested in heat source and insulation projects at Crawford Primary School and five leisure centres – Camberwell Leisure Centre, Dulwich Leisure Centre, Peckham Pulse Leisure Centre, The Castle Centre and Surrey Docks Water sports centre.
At Crawford Primary School, old boilers will be replaced with air source heat pumps, while energy efficiency improvements will include new pipework insulation and draughtproofing.
All five leisure centres will benefit from the installation of a mix of air source and water source heat pumps, as well as energy efficiency improvements including enhanced insulation and new double glazing.
These funding wins go alongside other recent council successes which secured £1.2 million of government funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Warmer Homes: Social Housing Fund, and £100,000 from the Mayor of London’s Greener School’s pilot for improved energy efficiency at Bird in Bush School.
Responding to the announcement, Cllr John Batteson, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Business and the Climate Emergency said: “It is great news that we have secured £11 million of external funding which will allow us to install new clean energy sources in our buildings and improve their efficiency for the future. We know that if we are going to achieve our climate goals, we need to actively apply for and secure external funding opportunities wherever possible. This additional funding will accelerate our ambitions to bring down the council’s emissions and further reduce our reliance on unstable and expensive fossil fuels.”
Director of public sector decarbonisation at Salix Ian Rodger said: “It’s vital that we act now if we are to achieve important targets to reduce our carbon emissions.
“Climate change is not standing still and neither should we.
“Southwark Council has earmarked energy efficiency work at key community buildings including a school as well as highly popular leisure centres across the borough. Once this work is completed the council will be less reliant on fossil fuel and the buildings will not only be more comfortable places in which to learn, work and enjoy, but they will be better for the planet.”
Breakdown of Southwark funding awards
| Funder | Grant | Amount received | Project |
| DESNZ | Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund | £1,285,294 | Retrofit of socially tenanted street properties |
| Salix / DESNZ | Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) | £9,500,000 | Decarbonising retrofit at five leisure centres |
| Salix / DESNZ | Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) | £476,683 | Decarbonising retrofit at Crawford Primary School |
| Mayor of London (Greater London Assembly) | GLA Greener Schools pilot | £100,000 | Double-glazing retrofit at Bird-in-Bush Primary School |
| Total | £11,361,977 |