A major milestone has been reached as Wellington Sports Centre announces the official completion of its £3.6million decarbonisation and refurbishment project.

The centre, which is operated by Everyone Active in partnership with Somerset Council, has had a major overhaul of facilities and a grand open day will be held on Saturday, 30 November.

Thanks to a successful £1.54m council bid to the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the project included a dramatic carbon-cutting makeover. The scheme is run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and delivered by Salix.

This included replacing old gas boilers with an Air Source Heat Pump, upgrading the air handling system with improved heat recovery, and a new roof with better insulation and solar panels.

With its gas heating system removed and its energy efficiency improved, the centre should save nearly 220 tonnes of carbon per year.

Somerset Councillor Graham Oakes, Lead Member for Public Health, Environment and Climate Change, said:

This was about seizing an opportunity. Thanks to our bid for Government funding, we’ve been able to make sure that the refurbished centre is not only a fantastic facility for the local community, but also one that will be making carbon savings for years to come.

This all contributes to our work towards a greener more sustainable Somerset.

Refurbishment works at the centre include a brand-new gym, a group cycling studio, and improved swimming pool.

Thomas Travis, Director of contractors Harris Bros and Collard added:

Being one of the first decarbonisation projects within the Southwest, we’re incredibly proud to have played a role in delivering this project for Somerset Council and Everyone Active.

Thank you to all staff and members of the Sports Centre for their patience and co-operation throughout the cycle of the construction phase. We hope the forecasted carbon reduction benefits for the Centre, pave the way for further decarbonisation retrofits in the future.

Director of public sector decarbonisation at Salix, Ian Rodger, said:

Congratulations to the team at Somerset on the Wellington Sports Centre project. The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme provides a key route for the public sector to meet vital net zero goals.

This is a solid result for Somerset Council, it has not only been able to address energy efficiency, getting rid of those old gas boilers, but it has also managed to make a popular community building a more comfortable place for people to visit.