West Midlands
Construction
Royal Spa Centre – PV Installation
“This project is an excellent example of how our partners can work innovatively whilst maintaining quality and cost certainty. Well done too all involved”
Lauren Oxland
Framework Manager (West) Procure Partnerships Framework
Stepnell has completed the installation of a solar PV system and comprehensive roof safety infrastructure at the Royal Spa Centre in Leamington Spa, helping Warwick District Council reduce its carbon footprint while modernising the safety and maintenance systems of one of the town’s most important cultural venues.
Region:
West Midlands
Project Type:
Construction
Sector:
Local Authority
Start on Site:
05/01/2026
Completion:
14/04/2026
Value Band:
£50k - £1m
Procure Via the Procure Partnerships Framework
The inception of this project was rooted in the urgent need for public sector decarbonisation. Warwick District Council, having established a comprehensive Climate Action Plan, identified the Royal Spa Centre as a high-intensity energy consumer, a busy theatre and entertainment hub with significant fluctuations in energy demand during performance schedules.
Beyond reducing grid reliance, the project addressed a significant infrastructure gap. The Royal Spa Centre required modernisation of its roof safety and maintenance access systems to meet current regulatory standards, including the Building Safety Act 2023. Prior to this intervention, access for maintenance on the South Tower was constrained, and the roof lacked the structural verification required for modern equipment installation.
The right route for a tight window of work
The project was procured through Procure Partnerships West Midlands Decarbanisation Framework via the Direct Award method enabling Warwick District Council to mobilise quickly and ensure the works could be completed within the critical January shutdown window.
Stepnell assumed full design responsibility for the PV and mansafe systems, effectively transferring technical and performance risk away from the Council. Clear KPIs for delivery, safety and client satisfaction ensured all project milestones were documented and verifiable throughout.
A comprehensive energy and infrastructure upgrade
The Royal Spa Centre project delivered a comprehensive suite of energy generation and infrastructure safety features across two distinct areas, the primary south-facing roof and the south-facing wall of the north roof turret.
The centrepiece is a 28.21 kWp solar array of 62 Aiko 455W high-efficiency modules, selected for it’s performance in low-light conditions. An innovative response to roof space constraints saw a portion of the array vertically mounted using the K2 WallPV Facade Rail system, maximising the available surface area. A Solis S5 25kW inverter was mounted externally on the roof, protected by a bespoke weather cover.
Safety and maintenance infrastructure included a Kee Line mansafe system, D-marc 105 wind-resistant demarcation, permanent counterweighted guardrails, and a specialised Hymer hook-on ladder providing safe passage between roof levels.
A dedicated lobby display monitor was also installed, allowing theatre visitors to view real-time data on the building’s energy generation and carbon savings.
Supporting the local economy
The project has generated measurable benefits for local people, businesses and communities, surpassing the agreed social value commitment.
£89.11K
Contract Value
£73.93K
Agreed Target
134%
Achieved
£119.9K
Total Social Value Add
Our Team Is Ready
If you’d like to discuss the right framework and delivery partner for you then please get in touch.
“The work that Stepnell and Step Energy have carried out at the Royal Spa Centre was a crucial element to Warwick District Council’s overall journey to Net Zero and their wider Climate Action Plan.
The team have not only vastly improved the energy efficiency of the facility which will provide long term savings, but they have also ensured that a significant impact was left on the community in Leamington Spa through their social Value commitments which have gone above and beyond targets. This project is an excellent example of how our partners can work innovatively whilst maintaining quality and cost certainty. Well done too all involved”
Lauren Oxland
Framework Manager (West) Procure Partnerships Framework
“This project had tight time constraints as this is a working theatre, busy all year round entertaining the people of Royal Leamington Spa. Their only quiet period is January, so we had to hit the ground running in the first week of the year to get all intrusive and noisy work completed. The design covers the south-facing roof turret and the south-facing wall of the north roof turret — making it an interesting combination of two different mounting systems. The installation went very well and the system is something that we at Stepnell and the Royal Spa Centre can be proud of.”
Joseph Gilbert
Project Manager, Stepnell
“Due to structural constraints, designing a suitable PV system for the Royal Spa Centre was a challenge. Stepnell developed an innovative design that utilised vertical mounting space as well as maximising generating capacity on the pitched roof. Additionally, roof access systems were installed to enable future maintenance, which has previously presented difficulties. The PV is expected to have a significant impact on reducing electricity use at the building.” Tim
Tim Hornsby
Building Climate and Energy Manager, Warwick District Council