Carbon reduction plans for council business parks and buildings
Tuesday, July 6, 2021
A £2.7m package of measures proposed by the county council aims to reduce carbon emissions at some of the council's properties and business parks.
The proposed investment would identify energy saving options in council buildings and at the council's White Cross and Lancashire Business Parks.
It would also include the early implementation of low carbon technologies at key development sites including Lancashire Central at Cuerden and the Samlesbury Enterprise Zone, as well as the installation of electric vehicle charging points at some of these locations.
The proposed measures will be discussed at a meeting of the county council's Cabinet on Thursday (8 July), where they'll be asked to approve the following programme:
• £1m for Lancashire Zero Carbon Retrofit Grant Scheme to provide funding for mid-sized businesses towards the costs of retrofitting their buildings to be more carbon-neutral
• £1m for the refurbishment of heating systems in buildings at the council's business parks and new electric vehicle charging points
• £500,000 to support the delivery of EV charging points at the Samlesbury Enterprise Zone
• £75,000 for a chargeable solar streetlight programme
• £75,000 for a zero-carbon retrofit programme in some of the county council's buildings
• £50,000 for a study to understand and maximise zero carbon opportunities for the Lancashire Central strategic development site
The move is part of the council's work to transition the Lancashire economy away from carbon by 2030 and address the biodiversity crisis.
The county council recently announced the creation of a new Cabinet position specifically focussed on the environment and climate change.
County Councillor Shaun Turner, the new Cabinet member for environment and climate change, said: "We're working to make Lancashire an even better place to live and work, and this includes looking to reduce our carbon emissions from our own buildings as well as new opportunities.
"Our target for Lancashire is rightly an ambitious one and I'm looking to use this brand new role to forge meaningful links with all our partners and stakeholders around the green agenda going forward.
"A transition to net zero will lead to a more sustainable economy and create opportunities for innovation and growth, but will also involve significant change, as well as balancing the costs and benefits across different parts of society."
You can read the Cabinet item online