Low carbon heat networks fund for councils

It is one of 26 local authorities across England and Wales that have been awarded over £1.9 million to support the development of heat network projects, designed to provide more efficient heat to buildings and potentially lower heating bills, through the Government’s Heat Networks Delivery Unit.

The Sutton facility will open in 2017 and it will take up to 302,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste from Sutton (51,000 tonnes), Croydon, Merton and Kingston every year. This heat generated could ultimately serve around 19,000 homes (20% of Sutton households) and save 10% of Sutton’s CO2 emissions.

Sutton Council will now work with Sutton-based international sustainability charity BioRegional to develop plans.

The announcement provides the opportunity to achieve Sutton’s environmental targets and expand Hackbridge’s achievements as a sustainable suburb. The council will also contribute £50,000 to the project.

More cash available to councils from a pot of £7m will be handed out in future funding rounds until March 2015. A second round of local authorities to get cash is due at the end of March 2014.

A full list of the latest winning local authorities is as follows:

* Birmingham City Council
* Brighton and Hove City Council
* Cardiff City Council
* Cherwell
* Cheshire East
* City of Bradford
* Crawley Borough Council
* Doncaster Council
* Halton Borough Council
* Hampshire County Council
* Liverpool City Council
* London Borough of Ealing
* London Borough of Haringey
* London Borough of Islington
* London Borough of Merton
* London Borough of Sutton
* Manchester City Council
* Nottingham City Council
* Oxford City Council
* Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
* Runnymede Borough Council
* Salford City Council
* Swansea City Council
* Wycombe District Council