A Somerset sports centre will become greener to run for residents as part of a central government scheme to make public buildings more environmentally friendly.

The public sector decarbonisation scheme (PSDS), created by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), provides grants to local authorities with a view to reducing emissions from public sector buildings by 75 per cent by 2037.

Somerset West and Taunton Council has successfully bid to £1.5m of grant funding in the latest round, which it will use to make extensive improvements to Wellington Sports Centre on Corams Lane.

Some of the funding will also be used to upgrade the Alcombe Children’s Centre on Stephenson Road in Minehead.

Councillor Dixie Darch, portfolio holder for climate change, confirmed both projects in a report published before the full council convened in Taunton on Tuesday evening (February 7).

She said in her written report: “This is an increasingly competitive funding process and we are delighted to have been successful.

“Both projects include the replacement of end-of-life gas heating and water systems, together with a range of ‘fabric first’ measures to ensure energy efficiency, greater thermal warmth and an improvement in energy costs.

“Air source heat pumps will be installed to replace gas boilers, solar panels will be installed on both buildings, LED lighting will be provided for the children’s centre and new glazing will be installed at the sports centre.

“The Wellington Sports Centre project also includes the replacement of the air handling units and roof materials within the building, replacing the systems for heating the swimming pool water, and installation of underfloor electric heating in the sports hall.”

Ms Darch did not confirm how soon the work on both buildings would be carried out.

Any decisions about procurement or additional funding for either project will be handled by the new unitary Somerset Council, which replaces the current council on April 1.