Ambitious plans by Bradford Council to create a cutting-edge heating system linking multiple Council offices are being backed by the Government.

The Council is to get part of a £1.9m grant from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to explore the setting up of a city-centre ‘district heat network’ for Council buildings, which the authority believes would drastically reduce its carbon footprint and deliver massive cost savings.

Sites less than half-a-kilometre away from each other could all be linked in the same system, and the network could be expanded to buildings like the Alhambra or St George’s Hall, and even private buildings to attract income.

Councillor Andrew Thornton, executive member for the environment, said: “This grant funding will allow us to take the project further and develop a business plan.

“If we have a number of Council buildings in one place, it makes sense to explore whether they could all be heated from one eco-friendly system.”