An innovative partnership project aimed at helping move South Lakeland towards net zero has been backed to the tune of nearly £75,000 – with the potential to draw down millions more.
The project will look at the barriers that are stopping rural businesses from cutting their carbon emissions and how those challenges can be reduced or removed. It’ll be delivered by a collaboration between CAfS, South Lakeland District Council and the University of Cumbria, thanks to the £74,625 funding from Innovate UK, the government innovation agency, announced today.
Such barriers include high transport costs, inability to achieve economies of scale, green skills shortage, inefficient housing stock and lack of funding.
CAfS chief executive Karen Mitchell welcomed the announcement that South Lakeland’s bid is among the thirty from across the UK that have been successful in the ‘Net zero living: Pioneer places’ competition – and from which six will be picked to share £30 million to put their carbon reduction plan into action.
“We’re really pleased that this crucial project can go ahead,” Karen said. “Rural areas like South Lakeland can be hard hit by the kinds of extreme weather events caused by climate change. We look forward to working with local communities and businesses to figure out how to reduce their use of fossil fuels in ways that benefit their lives and livelihoods.”
Helen Manns, director for the University of Cumbria’s Institute of Science & Environment, said: “The University of Cumbria is pleased to be a partner in such an exciting project. We were established in Cumbria for a reason, and this drives us. We work in and through student, educational, employer, sector and place-based partnerships and collaborations, to co-create and apply new knowledge and to positively embrace our civic responsibilities. The project’s focus on carbon reduction aligns with our own carbon reduction ambitions and commitment to supporting research into sustainability and carbon reduction.”
Councillor Dyan Jones, South Lakeland District Council’s portfolio holder for climate action and biodiversity, said: “As a council, we declared our position back in 2019, recognising the climate emergency, committing to action and unanimously agreeing to make this a public commitment by informing, influencing and implementing in all areas under our direct control, where feasible and realistic.
“We feel passionately that working collaboratively to support action is the only way to have a chance of meeting the challenges brought about by climate change and moving to net zero. I am delighted our project has been backed by Innovate UK and can’t wait to see the outcome.”
The other partners in the project are the Victorian House Hotel in Grasmere, Fell Brewery, Holker Estates, Kendal Nutricare, Ourea Events, Pelta Medical, Playdale Playgrounds and the Heaton Cooper Studio. Tim Bloomer, managing director at Fell Brewery, welcomed the support the project will offer his small independent craft brewery and bars business:
“With operations spanning the production, distribution and hospitality sectors, we are well versed in and aware of the unique challenges that the economy of South Lakes faces. The prospect of developing and adapting our processes to become truly environmentally sustainable is something we are committed to above all else at Fell. Having begun to get to grips with the task at hand, it is undoubtedly daunting but nevertheless exhilarating, exciting and presents huge opportunities for our local economy.”
The South Lakeland project builds on the work of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership (ZCCP), which brings together more than eighty public, private and third sector organisations working towards a net zero county.
The project will focus on the priority areas for carbon emissions reduction that the ZCCP has already identified, including improving the energy efficiency of buildings, enabling active travel and electric vehicle infrastructure, decarbonising local manufacture and production, and the rural economy.
