Funding secured for Wakefield and Knottingley heat network study

The scheme involves providing decarbonised heating to public buildings including Wakefield Town Hall and Wakefield One.

It is hoped Pinderfields and Fieldhead hospitals, Wakefield College and the city’s maximum security prison will also benefit from the scheme.

Wakefield Council has been awarded £289,000 of funding to carry out a feasibility study into the project.

The authority has received a further £130,000 to look into setting up a similar network in Knottingley.

Heat networks, also known as district heating, supply heat from a central source to consumers via a network of underground insulated pipes carrying hot water.

Networks can cover a large area or even an entire city, or be fairly local supplying a small cluster of buildings.

There are over 14,000 heat networks in the UK, including some under development or already in place in Kirklees, Bradford and Leeds.

A scheme in Gateshead provides heat to 350 high rise and other large commercial buildings.

A report to senior councillors says: “The Wakefield district heating scheme would bring affordable low/zero carbon heat to the city centre, reduce the long-term reliance on gas and heating and help residents in poverty.”

Proposals include creating a 6.5km network to supply city centre buildings.

A second feasibility study has been carried out to identify sources of waste heat in the Knottingley area, particularly from the former power stations at Ferrybridge.

The report says, in theory, it could lead to 21,000 homes being supplied with heating.

The document also says: “Like the Wakefield city centre scheme, the studies for Knottingley and Ferrybridge will develop the feasibility of a scheme in greater detail to help future informed choices to be made.”

Funding for the projects has been provided by the government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The council’s cabinet members are expected to agree to accept the funding at a meeting on June 18.

The studies are expected to take around 12 months to complete.