Hackney launches new climate plan with low-carbon heating for 1,486 homes
The four-year plan includes a new heat network serving over 1,400 homes, two local schools and Britannia Leisure Centre.
Hackney Council has launched a new four-year Climate Implementation Plan setting out how it will reduce the borough’s emissions and protect residents from the effects of climate change.
One of the priority actions included in the plan is a new underground heat network which will provide low-carbon heating and hot water to 1,486 new and existing homes across the Colville and Britannia developments, as well as Britannia Leisure Centre, City of London Academy Shoreditch Park and Shoreditch Park Primary.
The underground network will use large air source heat pumps, which take heat from the air and use it to warm buildings and water, offering a more efficient alternative to individual heating systems in homes and buildings.
It will save over 100,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) in the next 40 years, compared with the earlier design using combined heat and power and gas boilers.
Gas boilers will be available to provide extra heat when needed and consumer heating charges will be protected to make sure they’re no higher than the costs of running conventional individual gas boilers.
The energy centre is being constructed as part of the Colville Estate regeneration, which is building over 1,000 new homes for residents in Hoxton. All council tenants have the right to a brand new council homes as part of the regeneration.
The Council has signed a contract with Vital Energi to build and operate the network, with the first homes expected to be connected in early 2028.
This project is one of over 300 actions within the Council's ambitious new plan to address climate change in the borough.
It focuses on five key areas: helping residents and the borough adapt to climate change; improving buildings’ energy-efficiency; making transport more sustainable; protecting Hackney’s natural habitats; and creating green jobs and skills for the future.
As well as reducing Hackney’s contribution to global warming, the plan aims to bring practical benefits to residents’ everyday lives, including more comfortable homes, better access to nature and safer roads, with a focus on protecting residents most at risk from the impacts of climate change.
“The climate emergency is already changing life in Hackney, from homes that become dangerously hot in summer to the disruption caused by flooding and the risks to people’s health and the services they depend on.
“The next four years are crucial for preparing our residents, buildings, neighbourhoods and streets for these challenges. This plan uses all the tools available to us as a Council, like the planning and infrastructure for the Colville heat network, to make the borough a healthier and more sustainable place.
“We’re also putting climate justice at the heart of the actions we take, meaning we’re making sure the benefits of our interventions are felt fairly and we’re looking after those who need protection most.”
Cllr Jacob Cable, Cabinet Member for Climate, Clean Air, Energy and Transport
“We’re proud to be working with Hackney Council to deliver a heat network that will bring lower-carbon heating to homes, schools and community facilities across the borough.
"This is an exciting project for Hackney, and we’re looking forward to bringing it to life alongside the Council and local community, creating a reliable, affordable heating network that will serve local people for many years to come.”
David Wright, Regional Engineering Director at Vital Energi
Read the full Climate Implementation Plan 2026-30 to find out more about the actions the Council will take over the next four years to tackle climate change.