Renewable energy systems planned for Hengrove Park developments, especially the Olympic-sized pool???

Its today been reported that 'Bristol to get new Olympic-sized swimming pool' (Bristol Evening Post). Somewhat sensationally done since we've known about the proposed developments at Hengrove Park for some time now (see previous post on the issue here).



New health, education and leisure facilities, especially the big pool, are great, but we should also be retaining local facilities such as Jubilee Pool in Knowle and others (and I dont agree with the PFI method of financing this development). I agree with Simon Wilkins, club coach of Bristol North Swimming Club, who said, in the Bristol Evening Post that he

...felt that the new pool would be a boost to the city, but would not compensate for the loss of so many other pools in Bristol.

He said: “It is a great idea to have a 50m pool in the area.

“Bristol really should have had a 50m pool 10 years ago.

“It has been a long time coming, and hopefully it will attract bigger competitions and more swimming to the city.

“But the number of pools being built does not compensate for the number that have been shut down in recent years.”

We need more sources of healthy exercise not less. Local facilities are an important community feature, especially for those who find it most difficult to travel, such as the elderly and families with young children.

I'd also like to see renewable energy systems used in the new leisure centre, especially to heat the water in the new pool (which would otherwise consume a massive amount of polluting and non-renewable fuel). I've sent the email enquiry copied below to the City Council Sustainable Projects Team (hengrovepark@bristol.gov.uk) and will post again on any reply I get (I had no reply to my last enquiry on this topic):

Can you tell me if there are any plans for the use of renewable energy systems in any of the developments planned for Hengrove Park? The glossy leaflet I received describing the development some time ago refers to 'the highest level of design and sustainability standards' and so I'm hopeful that you may be able to answer positively. It seems to me that the heating the very large amount of water in the proposed swimming pool would be ideally suited to renewable energy and would otherwise consume a very large amount of polluting fossil fuel. Hope you can help.