Energy Systems Catapult was chosen in July 2023 to help Lancaster get its whole systems, evidence-led roadmap, a Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP), and the final plan was signed off by the Council in October 20241. Lancaster City Council had declared a climate emergency in 2019 and set a target to make the whole district carbon neutral by 20301. The council received £5.3 million from the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to invest over three years in projects improving local lives and the economy, and a LAEP was one of the projects it highlighted1.
The plan sets out the changes required to move the Lancaster District energy system and built environment to Net Zero while also addressing fuel poverty, detailing what changes are required, where, when and by whom, and giving a high-level view of the likely scale of investment1. Its recommendations include domestic fabric upgrades to 38,000 properties, approximately 54% of all buildings; heat pumps installed in 52,000 to 65,000 properties, with about 75% of non-domestic building floorspace heated by heat pumps in future; up to 1,250 public electric vehicle charge points, on the estimate that 45% of households will not be able to charge at home; and up to 575 GWh of annual local renewable generation from solar PV and onshore wind1. The council worked closely with Electricity North-West to develop the LAEP, which covers electricity, heat and gas networks, future potential for hydrogen, the built environment, flexibility, generation and storage, and energy for decarbonised transport1.
| Measure | Scale recommended |
|---|---|
| Domestic fabric upgrades | 38,000 properties (about 54% of all buildings) |
| Heat pumps | 52,000 to 65,000 properties; about 75% of non-domestic floorspace |
| Public EV charge points | Up to 1,250 |
| Local renewable generation | Up to 575 GWh a year |
From the evidence base, Lancaster City Council set a pathway to deliver a Net Zero energy system for the district by 2040 through what the Catapult describes as "Local Innovation", a pathway it says offers the best balance of a cost optimal transition alongside jobs, air quality improvements and fuel poverty mitigation1. The plan is intended to join up current plans and policies, including alignment with the new Local Plan and developments such as the Eden project, Morecambe1.
"Stakeholders across Lancaster District have proven themselves to be willing and able to act upon climate change and energy decarbonisation. Lancaster City Council are ensuring momentum and standards are maintained by setting ambitious decarbonisation targets whilst focussing on a just transition."
Why it matters for households
A LAEP is a local authority plan rather than a household obligation, but it sets out the scale of change expected across the district's homes. The recommendation that 38,000 properties receive fabric upgrades, and that heat pumps be installed in 52,000 to 65,000 properties, indicates that a large share of the district's housing stock is expected to change how it is heated and insulated1. The estimate that 45% of households will not be able to charge an electric vehicle at home, with up to 1,250 public charge points recommended, points to a reliance on shared infrastructure for those without off-street parking1. The plan also states the importance of investment in the electricity network so there is capacity for rapid growth in low carbon technologies1. For a household, the practical questions raised are the timing and funding of any retrofit or heating work, and whether local grid capacity keeps pace; the plan itself does not set out household-level costs or grant entitlements. The wider policy background sits in the regulation and policy area.
What happens next
The Catapult says the next step is to set out how the whole district can transition to a low carbon future, and that the city council will need to collaborate closely with key local stakeholders along the way1. In the first six months after sign-off, the council had already started deliverable energy projects, including solar and battery technology on a fuel poor house, the development of an electric vehicle strategy, and a study into the use of wind turbine technology, and the LAEP helped the authority secure another round of delivery funding1. No further dates for those workstreams have been reported.
Sources1 cited
- Lancaster LAEPs ahead on road to Net Zero, es.catapult.org.uk