A Grade-II listed lido in Cheltenham is hoping a solar panel installation will drastically cut its energy bills and save it from closure.
Sandford Parks Lido, an outdoor swimming pool located in the southwest, submitted plans for a solar panel system in April.
It followed fears the Lido, which opened back in 1935, might have to shut with its energy bills set to soar three-fold to £178,500 later this year.
Generating renewable energy and selling electricity back to the grid is the most viable method to cut costs.
The planning committee for the local council gave the go-ahead for the solar panel installation this week.
“We have committed to this journey with the interest of keeping the town’s lido open,” Sandford Parks Lido CEO, Julie Sargent said.
The team at the park in Cheltenham believes it has to embrace new technology while also respecting its heritage.
Its Grade-II listed standing means it has a status as an “important building of more than special interest”.
Sandford Parks Lido’s picturesque surroundings have been the backdrop for memorable days out for families for almost 90 years.
The Lido currently opens between March and October, a 28-week season that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
The decision to invest in solar panels was motivated by a survey conducted by trustees last year.
It found green energy solutions will help to keep the doors open.
This is because rising energy costs will eventually make it financially unsustainable.
The action taken by Stanford Parks Lido mirrors that of thousands of homeowners across the UK who want to take back control of their energy costs.
Solar panel installs jumped to a seven-year high of 50,000+ between January and March this year according to data from Solar Energy UK.
