Construction work is to begin on a new energy centre at Queens Quay in Clydebank.

West Dunbartonshire Council has approved plans to develop the facility, which will power a new £12 million District Heating Network from the site of the former John Brown's shipyard.

The network, which is part of a wider £250m regeneration of the area, will see water extracted from the River Clyde through heat pumps and directed to businesses and homes via insulated pipes to be used for heating.

The Queens Quay regeneration involves building 200 homes for social rent alongside 1,000 private properties, which will all benefit from the District Heating Network system. Public buildings also set to benefit include West College Scotland, Clydebank's new Leisure Centre, the new care home and health centre at the site, Council offices at Aurora House, the Titan Business Centre, the Town Hall and Clydebank Library.

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Work on the new energy centre is now expected to commence early this year, with the network being commissioned and generating heat by the end of the year. It will be built alongside West College Scotland on the edge of the basin opposite the Titan Crane.

Cllr Iain McLaren said: "So much work has gone into this project and today's decision by the Planning Committee has helped it take yet another huge step forward. It won't be long before we will see work on the energy centre getting started and it should then be in operation next year. Residents and businesses of Clydebank will benefit from this high-tech new system for years to come."

Cllr Diane Docherty added: "The District Heating Network will help the Council meet our climate change target to reduce CO2 emissions by 15% over the next six years and as the Council will own, operate and maintain the system, allow us to offer reduced tariffs for customers and to tackle fuel poverty.

"We are committed to delivering affordable housing to our residents and now this network will also help us provide them with affordable energy."

(LM)