Swaffham Prior Heat Network, delivering reliable, renewable heat from 2022.
Swaffham Prior has led the way in the UK, to be the first village to develop a rural heat network. The mix of air source and ground source heat pumps have capacity to supply 1.7MW of heat to 300 homes located in Swaffham Prior.
The Swaffham Prior Heat Network project was started by Swaffham Prior Community Land Trust, to address fuel poverty and local environmental issues caused by the village’s reliance on oil heating. After securing local Councillor support for the project, the Community Land Trust achieved funding for a feasibility study through the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. Following completion of the feasibility study, the project made successful applications to BEIS Heat Network Development Unit (HNDU) and Heat Network Investment Project (HNIP). Alongside the significant grant funding provided by HNIP and HNDU, Cambridgeshire County Council have made a strategic investment in the project.
Cambridgeshire County Council own the energy company and heat network assets. The council are responsible for the operation and management of the heat network, as well as the customer services and billing to customers. Technical partner Bouygues Energies & Services has been appointed for the contractual responsibility of technical repair and maintenance. Swaffham Prior’s Heat Network is registered with consumer champion, the Heat Trust.
