Thanet District Council has been awarded £1.4million of government funding to improve the energy efficiency of some of the buildings that it owns.
The funding is awarded through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, run by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and delivered by Salix.
The council must match the funding with an additional £1.8million, making a total investment of £3.2million. Cabinet accepted the grant and approved the match funding at a meeting on Thursday 24 July 2025. It also agreed to go ahead with a procurement exercise to award contracts for the work.
The funding will support improvements to the Thanet Gateway and Hartsdown Leisure Centre in Margate; the Kent Innovation Centre in Broadstairs; and Ramsgate Leisure Centre. The planned investment includes removing gas boilers and replacing them with air source heat pumps, installing cavity wall insulation and double glazing and further window upgrades.
The improvements are part of a three year programme, which is expected to be completed by the end of March 2028.
Cllr Rob Yates, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, including Climate Change said: “This new funding is fantastic news for Thanet and for the council’s ambition to reduce carbon emissions from publicly-owned buildings. At the moment, these account for nearly one third of the council’s carbon footprint, with the majority of emissions coming from the gas used in Ramsgate and Hartsdown leisure centres.
“Once installed, we expect the energy efficient heating system to save over £25,000 in energy bills each year. It will also reduce carbon emissions by more than 250 tonnes, which is about the same as 50 average UK households’ yearly emissions. Most importantly, the improvements will reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.”
Publicly-owned buildings including schools, universities and hospitals will benefit from a share of £630 million to make energy saving and clean power upgrades under the latest round of the scheme. The fund, launched in October 2024, is worth £940 million and will run until financial year 2027/8.
Salix director of public sector decarbonisation, Ian Rodger said: “The energy efficiency measures installed at these leisure centres will make a difference to the council’s carbon footprint.
“This means that not only will the venues be kinder to the planet, but they will be more comfortable places to visit.”
