The Council and democracy Climate Change Action Plan - Progress Update Q4 Jan to Mar 2022

Workstream 1 - Buildings and energy

Roof mounted solar panels

1.1    The Estates Programme (Phase 1) works are on track to complete within the financial year. It focuses mainly on leisure centres as some of our most energy intensive buildings. Solar PV panels are now mounted at Space, with cabling underway and the installation due to go live by the end of March. LED lights have arrived at Sharp with installation due to commence by the end of February.
A power down at the Tennis & Football Centre (delayed due to its use as a vaccination centre) has been completed, enabling the installed solar PV to be connected to the main circuit board with the panels, due to be energised by mid-March.

Phase 1 (a) works are funded by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) with £1.2m and must complete by July 2023. It includes two projects - solar car ports at the National Cycling Centre (NCC) and roof mounted solar PV at the Hammerstone Rd Depot. A contractor has been appointed for the solar car ports at the NCC and they have commenced detailed ground surveys and design with a view to completing the south car park installation by August 2022.

The majority of the phase 2 works, funded by Public Sector Decarbonising Scheme, will complete by the end of March 2022. Some elements of the project will run beyond this deadline and the programme is planned to be finalised in June 2022. This extension has been agreed with the funder. The energy conservation works most impacted are the battery installations (longer lead times than initially confirmed) and the Building Management System where the programme has been impacted by delayed network investigations and design. 

Phase 3 of the Public Sector Decarbonising Scheme funding is now confirmed. The total project cost will be £5.9m with £4.9m being grant funding and £1m match from the Council. Manchester City Council has mobilised a delivery team as the deadline for completion is March 2023. The portfolio of buildings is: Active Lifestyles Centre; Claremont Resource Centre; Didsbury Library; Hall Lane Resource Centre; The Place at Platt Lane; One Central Park and the National Football Museum.

1.4    A request for delegated powers to enter into commercial negotiations to progress to purchase a solar asset or a power purchase agreement was approved by Executive on the 19 January. Work with Local Partnerships is ongoing.

1.8    The recruitment of additional capacity within Housing Strategy is progressing. These posts will lead on housing retrofit and zero carbon housing, discussions are underway to develop a work programme. A task and finish group has been set up to consider low interest loans for homeowners willing to pay for retrofit works. Retrofit work commenced on site at Grey Mare Lane by One Manchester Housing Association. Work has also started on the development of 69 new low carbon Council homes in Newton Heath. 

A meeting is scheduled with BEIS to look at the heat network funding for replacement heating systems in eight tower blocks within Newton Heath and Brunswick. Discussions are ongoing with the Council’s Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contractors to identify savings from other work to cover low carbon improvements. As part of the Greater Manchester Warm Homes Fund (GMWHF) Manchester will benefit from £600K funding delivered by AgilityEco. Up to 50 homes will benefit from first time central heating systems.

1.10    Additional resources in City Centre Growth & Infrastructure will support energy and other infrastructure policy as well as planning for the city. It will include development and implementation of recommendations and actions under the draft Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) for Manchester, and coordination of LAEP matters with GM partners.

1.11    Recent delegations have referenced sustainability and improvements to the carbon rating of disposed assets e.g., Varna Street primary school. This will be redeveloped and be more environmentally sustainable. 

1.12    The Local Plan is progressing with consultations taking place this summer. Adoption is scheduled for autumn 2023.
 

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