The expansion of Southwark’s low carbon heat network has moved a big step closer with the council’s approval of a Local Development Order (LDO).
SELCHP already heats more than 2,500 Bermondsey homes via the District Heating Network and it could heat a further 3,000.
The LDO grants permitted development rights to construct an underground network of insulated pipes to carry heat from the SELCHP heat-from-waste facility, in South Bermondsey, to properties around Old Kent Road and Peckham, providing heat and hot water.
This will entail laying roughly 7km of new piping.
The decision to approve the LDO – which underwent a public consultation earlier this year – means no further planning applications will be required to extend the heat network in the area. However, a decision to build the network will still need separate approval from the council (to vary its existing contract with SELCHP).
Southwark is the first local authority in London to introduce an LDO. Reaching this milestone demonstrates the council’s commitment to tackle the climate emergency and to achieve its goal to become a carbon-neutral borough by 2030.
Veolia’s SELCHP facility currently provides 2,650 homes in Bermondsey with energy generated from the waste and recycling centre, saving 7,700 tonnes of carbon annually. It provides a low-carbon alternative to the gas-fired boilers still used to heat most properties in Southwark.
The expansion will add a further 3,000 properties (both old and new) to the network including council homes, schools and businesses and will reduce emissions from heating and hot water by up to 90 per cent on the estates connected.
Extending the network will support sustainable growth along Old Kent Road and will deliver an additional saving of 11,100 tonnes of carbon per year.
Veolia, working in partnership with the council, has already secured £16m for this vital infrastructure.
As well as simplifying planning, the LDO will enable the council to manage the impact of the extension.
It will ensure local heritage, archaeology, trees, and ecology are all protected and it will minimise the impact of construction (including the impact on traffic) through the implementation of a Construction Environmental Management Plan.
The council will also ensure the works are compatible with plans for the Bakerloo Line Extension.
Councillor Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for New Homes and Sustainable Development, said:
“At a time when the UK’s supply of gas is more expensive and less reliable than ever, the extension of Southwark’s low carbon heating network is a vital move.
By expanding our district heating scheme, we are reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and embracing cleaner, more efficient energy resources.
This network extension not only ensures affordable and reliable heating for our residents but also demonstrates our dedication to creating a sustainable future for our residents”.
The decision to grant the LDO was made at Southwark Council’s Cabinet meeting on 13 June.
