PLANS are moving forward to decarbonise Uttlesford Council's office building in Saffron Walden.
The project for the London Road site is part of the council’s wider commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2030.
Neil Reeve, councillor responsible for environment and climate change, said: "This project is a significant step towards reducing the council’s carbon footprint and meeting our net zero commitments.
"While the financial commitment is more substantial than first anticipated, it reflects the complexity of retrofitting a historic, listed building and the importance of leading by example in tackling climate change."
The scheme involves replacing the existing fossil fuel heating system with air source heat pumps, upgrading the building’s fabric, and installing solar panels to generate renewable energy on site.
These measures are projected to cut the council’s operational carbon emissions by around 2,000 tonnes over the lifetime of the upgrades, or 91 tonnes annually.
The building itself is a complex Grade II listed structure, making the project a model for decarbonising and retrofitting heritage sites.
The total estimated cost of the project is £1.34 million.
Of this, nearly £630,000 will come from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, with the remaining just over £740,000 funded by the council through a 15-year borrowing plan.
Planning permission and listed building consent were granted in November, with the project to be delivered during 2026.
Mr Reeve said: "The London Road office is one of our key operational assets and investing in its future is part of our responsibility to manage public buildings sustainably.
"As a council, we have a duty to act on climate change and to demonstrate what is possible, even in challenging circumstances.
"By doing this, we would not only reduce emissions but also show residents and businesses that decarbonisation can be achieved in heritage settings."
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Members of the cabinet will discuss the latest proposals at a meeting on December 16.
The London Road Decarbonisation Project forms part of the council’s Climate Change and Biodiversity Action Plan, following its declaration of a climate and biodiversity emergency in 2019.
Uttlesford Council has also announced plans to switch its vehicle fleet to hydrotreated vegetable oil, with the project set to launch in the spring.
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