Community centres, social housing and a historic theatre are set to benefit from rooftop solar panels

The benefits are the next step in Adur & Worthing Councils’ commitment to reduce its carbon footprint.

The near £190,000 investment will see six sites across the area fitted with the high-tech systems, which will generate clean energy and reduce running costs for future generations.

The solar PV systems will provide renewable electricity to the buildings they are attached to, reducing the amount of electricity imported from the grid and therefore reducing the overall energy bills and carbon emissions associated with the buildings.

The move supports Adur & Worthing Councils’ ambitious SustainableAW agenda which looks to ensure the organisation is carbon neutral by 2030 with a wider area Net Zero target by 2045.

Among the locations to benefit will be the historic Worthing Assembly Hall along with Eastbrook Manor Community Centre in Fishersgate, the cricket pavilion at Goring Recreation Ground, and social housing at Marsh House in Southwick and Shadwells Court in Lancing.

Photo: Wildflowers at Eastbrook Manor Community Centre

The Councils’ Commerce Way depot, which is home to the waste and recycling fleet, will also see panels installed on the roof.

The investment of nearly £190,000 will be partly funded by the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), a central government pot to reduce carbon emissions from public sect or buildings.

Cllr Emma Evans, Adur District Council’s Executive Member for the Environment, added:

“We are making every possible move to ensure we remain one of the leading councils when it comes to tackling climate change. This is just the latest project we are undertaking in the ambitious yet attainable goal to achieving a Net Zero target by 2030.”

Cllr Edward Crouch, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Digital and Environmental Services, said:

“We are totally committed to playing our part in reducing our carbon footprint with the ultimate goal of achieving a Net Zero target by 2030.

“Introducing solar panels is just another important step on the long road towards reaching that goal. The vast majority of the funding has come from central government so there is no direct cost to council tax payers here in the Adur and Worthing.”

Bright Spark Ventures Ltd, trading as Bright Spark Energy – a company with a not-for-profit ethos where profits are invested into subsidising energy projects for customers and business – will carry out the works.

Of the total contact amount of £188,003.60, £61,618.30 is for the two Adur District Council sites and is funded by the Councils’ Carbon Reduction Invest to Save budget provision.

There is £71,369.21 for the two Adur Homes sites (£47,650 grant funded, remainder from the Adur HRA Capital Programme); and £55,016.09 for the two Worthing Borough Council sites, which are fully funded by the PSDS grant.