White Oak Leisure Centre to benefit from solar panels

Published: Thursday, 2nd January 2025

Work has begun on a solar panel installation at White Oak Leisure Centre in Swanley to cut the centre’s carbon footprint.

Last year, Sevenoaks District Council successfully applied for £612,950 from Government’s Swimming Pool Support Fund, which provides grants to reduce energy use at public pools.

White Oak opened in 2022 and is already one of the most environmentally-friendly, energy efficient centres around. The solar panels will further reduce its energy use and running costs. The 1,000 solar panels will produce power through all four seasons of the year.

Preparatory works has started with scaffolding going up in the coming days. The project is expected to complete by March 2025. The centre will remain open as usual throughout the works.

Cllr Lesley Dyball, the Council’s Cabinet Member for People and Places, says: “We are thrilled to have successfully secured funding to help White Oak Leisure Centre go even greener and we cannot wait for the work to get underway.

“Running a swimming pool can be expensive due to the high energy costs. So these improvements will reduce the centre’s running costs while helping to cut the District’s carbon footprint for years to come.”

Hasan Romel, Everyone Active Area Contract Manager, adds: “It is great news that this project will further reduce the centre’s carbon footprint.

“As a result of the energy crisis, we as an organisation, have seen our energy bills more than double. The implementation of the solar panels at White Oak Leisure Centre marks a significant step towards reducing the leisure centre’s carbon footprint and simultaneously lowering energy costs. Everyone Active is proud to work alongside the Council, as part of our Net Zero Strategy, to help achieve our company’s net zero ambitions.”