Making Council Offices Greener at CDC

Date of Release: 5 January 2021                         Ref:  3965

 Key projects will make council buildings greener and consider options to bring disused land in Chichester into use

Making its buildings more energy efficient and looking at potential uses for unused land at the western end of Terminus Road in Chichester are two of the key projects that Chichester District Council will be looking at during the next year.

The projects, agreed by the council’s Cabinet at its meeting on Tuesday 5 January, are part of the updated Corporate Plan until 2022.

Cabinet has agreed to release £30,000 so that a feasibility study can be carried out for the decarbonisation of council buildings. The study will look at the costs and benefits of putting in place measures to improve energy efficiency in the council’s buildings and car parks as well as options for generating its own renewable energy.

“This project is part of the council’s Climate Change Action Plan,” explains Councillor Penny Plant, Cabinet Member for Environment at Chichester District Council. “Over the years we have taken a number of steps to ‘green’ our buildings such as adding solar electric panels to the roof of East Pallant House, and solar water heating panels to the north wing extension and installing electric solar panels to our pay and display parking machines. This project will build on the work we have already carried out and help to reduce our carbon footprint further.”

A second key project will look at options to bring unused land at the western end of Terminus Road back into use. The land is situated between the district council-owned Enterprise Centre and the Fishbourne roundabout.

“Supporting our district’s businesses is one of the key actions in our Covid Economic Recovery Plan,” explains Councillor Tony Dignum, Cabinet Member for Growth, Place and Regeneration at Chichester District Council. “We know that current occupiers of premises on Terminus Road need storage space and extra parking. The project will look at whether these options are possible as well as other potential uses for the land. The work will take account of the council’s Climate Change Action Plan, including consideration of the trees and hedges on site.

Cabinet has agreed to release £10,000 to progress this project.