£10.6M heating scheme to tackle fuel poverty

A new energy centre is being built to help combat fuel poverty in Glasgow.

More than 700 households in Glasgow are set to benefit from reduced heating bills through a £10.6M project.

The new energy centre will be built in Broomhill, Glasgow and will deliver heating and hot water to 702 homes through the Cube Housing Association District project.

The low carbon central heating system will help to reduce fuel poverty in the area, and it is hoped it will bring significant CO2 savings over its lifetime, including 2,008 tonnes of CO2 in the first 12 months.

The scheme will be part funded by a £5M loan from the Scottish Partnership for Regeneration in Urban Centres (SPRUCE) Fund, a joint Scottish Government and European Regional Development Fund initiative, with the remaining funding coming from British Gas.

The Broomhill scheme is the final allocation of funding from the initial £50M SPRUCE fund which, since 2011, has invested in various regeneration projects across Scotland. These include the redevelopment of land at Haymarket in Edinburgh, creation of offices at Queen Street and St Vincent Plaza in Glasgow, construction of industrial units in Coatbridge and a Low Carbon Innovation Centre in Fife.

The final allocation of funding means that investments, including the repaid £9.6M Queen Street loan can be released and reused into more regeneration schemes.

Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil commented: “This £10.6 million project will make a massive difference to the lives of hundreds of households in Glasgow, supplying heat more efficiently and saving people money on their bills.

“The district heating scheme will help tackle fuel poverty, be better for the planet and make homes in the Broomhill area warmer and cheaper to heat.

“From energy centres to business parks the SPRUCE fund is helping to regenerate areas by providing crucial investment that is supporting the economy and jobs and transforming our communities for the better.

“I look forward to seeing what new projects will secure investment from SPRUCE as it recycles the funding over the years to come.”

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