Listed Georgian mansion to have solar panels installed

A historic Georgian mansion is set to have solar panels installed as part of its sustainability targets.

Grade I listed Lytham Hall is having more than 40 solar panels put on its roof after planning permission was approved by Fylde Council.

General manager Peter Anthony said the solar panels would make "an enormous difference" to reduce costs as well as "fulfilling our green agenda".

He said it would save £5,300 a year in energy bills, generating almost 15,000 kilowatts of clean electricity per year and reduce its carbon footprint.

Lytham Hall was in a such a significant state of disrepair it was put on Historic England's at risk register in 2008.

A huge restoration project followed and it was removed from the register in 2021 and received the Historic Houses Restoration Award 2022.

Mr Anthony said the solar panels would cost about £23,000 which the Windmill Charity (WCBS) was supporting.

The charity also helped with replacing the heating system which was compatible with the solar panels.

Mr Anthony said 44 solar panels, which be installed in the next few weeks, will save 3,000 kg of CO2 carbon emissions, the equivalent of about 11,200 miles in a diesel car or 144 mature trees would absorb that in a year.

"They're quite impressive figures," he said.

"[They] certainly won't run a place of this size but if it makes a huge indentation in the costs for our charity then that is wonderful as well as fulfilling our green agenda," he added.

Lytham Hall was once the ancestral home of the Squires of Lytham - the Clifton family - from 1606 until 1963.

The site and its 80 acres of parkland are of great archaeological interest dating back to the 12th Century when it was home to a priory of Benedictine monks.

In 1996 the hall and estate was put up for sale and was purchased by Lytham Town Trust with the help of a £1m donation from British Aerospace.

In 1997 management of the hall was transferred to the Heritage Trust for the North West.

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