Nearly £140,000 boost for swimming pools in Littlehampton and Arundel

The news comes after a successful bid to the government’s swimming pool support fund, which provided a total of £80 million to councils all over the UK.

Littlehampton Wave, which is operated by Freedom Leisure on the council’s behalf, will receive £45,070 to install photo voltaic panels on the swimming pool roof, which will convert sunlight directly into energy.

The Wave was originally opened in April 2019, following a £16 million investment, and consists of a fitness suite, dance studios and a sports hall equipped for a range of activities, as well as the 25-metre swimming pool itself.

The remaining £90,400 will go to Arundel Lido to fund a new pool cover and photovoltaic panels of its own. The money is all part of a new £20 million national fund being delivered by Sport England to install energy efficiency measures at swimming pools as running costs continue to increase. The Lido is the only facility of its kind in West Sussex, and the summer season is set to run until September 29.

Councillor Carol Birch, Chair of the Housing and Wellbeing Committee at Arun District Council, said: “Sport England received 726 applications last October, and therefore we are really pleased that our bid to improve the energy efficiency of two of our public swimming pools were successful.

“This funding is gratefully received and will support the council’s 2022-2030 Carbon Neutral Strategy and improve the wellbeing of our residents.”