Fairfield Leisure now uses 20% less energy, the council says, after its gas boilers were replaced with heat pumps and more than 800 solar panels were fitted.
Fairfield Leisure in Dartford is using a fifth less energy since its gas boilers were taken out, Dartford Borough Council said on Wednesday. The centre’s pool and buildings are now heated by air source heat pumps, with solar panels on the roof and the car park.
The council put the cut at 20% to date (Dartford Borough Council, 28 October 2026). It did not say what period that is measured against, or what it has saved in money.
What was fitted
The council’s announcement lists:
- air source heat pumps in place of the gas-fired boilers
- more than 800 solar panels across the roof and the car park
- solar thermal panels to help heat the swimming pool
- LED lighting
- an upgraded building energy management system
Much of the work was done overnight so the centre could stay open throughout, the council said. It worked with Places Leisure, which runs the centre, and with specialist consultants and contractors.
Fairfield is now “completely off gas”, according to Salix, which runs the government grant scheme that paid for much of it. Salix published that in January 2026, after a visit to the centre.
What it cost
The government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme awarded the council £1,508,475 in its Phase 3b round to decarbonise the centre (Dartford Borough Council climate action page; GOV.UK project summaries).
The council tendered the “Fairfield Pool Decarbonisation Works” in June 2023 at an estimated £2m. It awarded the contract on 25 September 2023 to TSG Building Services plc, of Potters Bar, for £2,743,093.81. The contract was set to run from 9 October 2023 to 8 April 2024 (Contracts Finder award notice).
So the grant covered about 55% of the contract’s value when it was let. The council’s announcement describes its own share only as “significant investment” and gives no figure. The award value is the price agreed at the start, not a final bill, so the real split may differ.
The council’s other buildings
The council says the same kind of work has been done at the Civic Centre, the Orchard Theatre and Acacia Sports Hall. Its climate page says the Civic Centre and Orchard Theatre now use air source heat pumps powered by solar panels, with LED lighting and a building management system (Dartford Borough Council).
Acacia Sports Hall is the building the council is now trying to lease to an outside operator for up to 30 years, which we reported on Tuesday.
Council leader Jeremy Kite said the results were “positive, measurable”. He added: “We’re determined to make meaningful progress on sustainability, and that means taking practical action and being able to demonstrate the difference it’s making.”
Steve Parker, of Places Leisure, said the work showed “what can be achieved when leisure providers, local authorities and partners share a commitment to investing in the future.”
What it means for you
- Nothing changes for swimmers or gym users. The centre stayed open during the work, and the announcement mentions no change to prices or opening hours.
- Running costs matter to the council’s budget. A leisure centre with a pool is one of the most expensive buildings a council heats. A lasting cut in energy use lowers a bill that ultimately falls on the council and its operator.
- The 20% figure is the council’s own. It has not published the meter readings or the period behind it. If it does, we will add them here.
Our earlier story on Fairfield’s new gym has the centre’s other recent changes. For the council’s wider spending, see Dartford council tax bands.
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