Construction of the first phase of Hull’s £125m District Heat Network (HDHN) is underway after plans were approved by Hull City Council. Work is currently being undertaken on Alfred Gelder Street, with the closure of the road having been coordinated with the closure of Drypool Bridge to limit disruption.
The HDHN will provide the city with heat generated by making use of waste energy. The system will provide low carbon heat through a network of pipes carrying hot water.
The HDHN is seen as being a key element of the council’s commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2045. A council report states that Phase One alone will save 110,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent from entering the city’s air over 40 years.
The planning application, which was submitted on behalf of the council, sought permission Phase 1A of the HDHN, which involves the laying of below-ground water pipes at two sites in the city centre. Phase 1A includes:
A route along Alfred Gelder Street, Gandhi Way, parts of the High Street and a short section of Lowgate
A route along Charlotte Street Mews and parts of Worship Street
After plans were approved earlier this month, work can already be seen to have begun along Alfred Gelder Street. A number of holes have already been dug along the street which is also affected by the closure of Drypool Bridge.
The closure of Alfred Gelder Street has been a serious cause for concern for businesses on the street such as Food for Cowboys and The White Hart pub. Both companies remain concerned with the impact on their income.
Future phases of the HDHM will include the construction of the Hull Energy Centre that received planning permission in April. The centre, which will be on the site of the car park next to Napoleon’s Casino & Restaurant, will supply the hot water to the network.
In May, Hull City Council’s cabinet approved plans to award framework contract worth £125m to Vital Energi Utilities Limited for the heating network. At the time, council leader, Cllr Mike Ross expressed his delight at the HDHN making progress and said “it’s been quite a process to get this to the council table”.
By: Andrew Spence, LDRS
