A YEOVIL school has applied for permission to upgrade its heating system – after forking out around £170,000 on repairs.

Westfield Academy has applied to Somerset Council for permission to install 12 air source heat pump units at the Upper School site, in Stiby Road.

The plan would see a bin store converted to house the units, while an electrical sub-station would be built on the site to accommodate the increased electrical demand.

“The project consists of a refurbishment of the original, life-expired and inefficient heating system within Block B at the academy,” the application said.

“The system has failed on a number of occasions, with reactive repairs and flood damage costing almost £170,000 in the last 18 months.

“At 55 years old, the heating system is in desperate need of replacement and is well beyond its expected life.

“Inevitably, if no action is taken there will be further failures, likely resulting in the Academy closure.”

It said the new heating would be zero-carbon, providing a “reliable and future-proofed heating system”.

The new heating would save around 1,696 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions over its lifetime, the plan said, a reduction of 88% when compared to a new gas-fired boiler – cutting the school’s total carbon emissions by 39%.

Somerset Council planners will now consider the scheme. For more details, and to comment on the plans, log on to www.somerset.gov.uk and search for application reference 23/02420/FUL.