Climate Emergency
In October 2019, Crowhurst Parish Council declared a Climate Emergency and agreed the following resolution:
‘Crowhurst Parish Council declares a climate and ecological emergency and aspires to be carbon neutral by 2030 taking into account both production and consumptions emissions’
A Climate and Ecological Emergency Working Group was set up. (Terms of reference)
Plans were being finalised, with Brighton University, to find out what current carbon emissions were in the Parish. However, the Covid-19 pandemic put a halt to those.
In April 2021, The Parish Council agreed to support a grant application by Energise Sussex Coast to the Rural Communities Grant Fund to do a feasibility study in Crowhurst on how to become Zero Carbon. This grant application was successful and turned into the Warmer Crowhurst - Clean Energy Project. Work was carried out by Brighton and Hove Energy Services Cooperative (BHESCo) and RINA to look at current energy consumption and possible ways to heat homes without fossil fuels.
With great support from residents via meetings and surveys this was completed in May 2022
Due to various factors, retrofitting heat networks was only marginally feasible. It was decided that the best way forward in the shorter term was to look at improving insulation on properties as the study showed that many properties were at or below EPC D. A grant application was also put in to look at taking forward a solar farm to planning.
Warmer Crowhurst Presentation 9th April 2022