Stakehill businesses urged to complete decarbonisation survey

A local industrial decarbonisation plan is being produced for Stakehill Industrial Estate

Business leaders have called for a “culture of collaboration’ and are encouraging companies to work together to produce a blueprint for how to decarbonise Stakehill Industrial Estate.

A consortium, led by Rochdale Development Agency and made up of Stakehill Business Improvement District (BID), SSE Energy Solution, the Energy Innovation Agency and Rochdale Borough Council with support from the University of Manchester and asset owners UBS will work with tenants at Stakehill to produce a Local Industrial Decarbonisation plan (LIDP).

The collaboration will leverage world-class expertise and intelligence to develop a strategic plan that will set out how the estate hopes to realise Greater Manchester’s ambitions to be net zero by 2038.

Speaking at the launch of the plan, Stakehill BID manager Alan Johnson said: “Many businesses on the estate are already on their own individual journeys to net zero but by coming together and creating a culture of collaboration they can really bring about transformational change.

“The LDIP is an opportunity to set out our vision for how a collection of businesses can really shift the dial when it comes to decarbonisation and position Stakehill as a national leader, establishing a model for others to follow.”

The LIDP is a strategic framework aimed at curbing emissions and fostering sustainability across Stakehill's industrial landscape.

By harnessing the collective expertise of stakeholders, the consortium endeavours to develop innovative solutions that can set out what interventions are needed to help meet net zero targets.

A survey is being sent to all Stakehill businesses looking at current usage and data collected as part of that will be used for a programme of baseline modelling, setting out three scenarios that will showcase what can be achieved dependent on the level of ambition.

Mr Johnson added: “The LDIP sets out a roadmap to decarbonisation and will help businesses be more competitive, potentially saving them thousands of pounds in the future.

“At this stage, to get the best data we need as many businesses as possible to get involved. The more information we have the better placed we will be to produce a plan that can factor in current levels of energy usage, transport systems and specialist equipment.”