Heating pump at Stourbridge leisure centre to cost £200,000 more than planned

Bosses at Dudley Council said the planned £600,000 new low-carbon system will instead cost £800,000.

It comes amid rising costs due to issues with putting the pump in place and with drilling, chiefs have said.

Councillor Ian Kettle, cabinet member responsible for leisure centres, said: "The heating pump alone, if I recall correctly, gives us a saving of £95,000 per year which is tremendous.

"It's a real game-changer where running costs are concerned – it's new technology and it's being fitted in the centre."

The project involves the drilling of a borehole to extract ground water, from which heat is extracted by heat pumps – before it is returned to the ground through a second-borehole.

Both boreholes have now been drilled and on-site testing is under way – with initial results being positive.

The decision to increase the budget for the project was backed by council bosses at a meeting last week.

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A report to the council said: "A number of costs have increased in the last year, with total project costs now estimated at £800,000 (an increase of £200,000).

"The scheme will generate income from the Government’s Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) as well as savings on gas.

"The predicted savings are now estimated at £95,000 per year having been previously estimated at £86,000, the increase being due to additional opportunities to reduce energy use that have been highlighted."

It comes as the leisure centres across the borough –in Dudley, Halesowen and Stourbridge – were set to reopen this week.

But the leisure pool will not be open at Crystal Leisure Centre amid guidance from Swim England advising against opening the wave machine, rapids and slides.

Lane swimming will be put into operation at the 25m pool at Crystal and at Dudley and Halesowen pools to manage capacity.