Proposals have been submitted for solar power systems to be installed on three buildings at Wigan Infirmary

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) is seeking to improve its green credentials with plans for solar panels across its sites.

In November it applied to West Lancashire Borough Council to find out whether permission was needed to mount no fewer than 254 photovoltaic panels on top of its buildings at Wrightington Hospital.

And the following month it contacted Wigan Council about installing 1,425 roof-mounted solar panels to pitched and flat roofs at Leigh Infirmary.

Now, a planning application has been submitted for permission to install three separate roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on buildings across the Wigan Infirmary site – the pharmacy, cancer care and CAU (community assessment unit) building.

A heritage statement submitted with the application states: “The proposed photovoltaic installations have been sensitively designed to preserve the significance, character and appearance of the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary. The development is heritage-led, reversible and compliant with Historic England guidance and national planning policy, and is considered acceptable in heritage and planning terms.”

The council’s planning department is currently consulting on the application, with a decision expected to be made by June 26.

It is part of a huge programme of solar panel installations across the WWL estate after it received £2.1m from the Government and Great British Energy, who awarded £200m to schools and hospitals across the country last year to fund clean power and cut energy bills.

Nearly 200 NHS sites – covering a third of NHS trusts – received cash to install rooftop solar panels that could power operations, with potential to sell leftover energy back to the grid.

WWL received £2,148,000 for solar panels at Wigan Infirmary, Wrightington Hospital and Leigh Infirmary, as well as community locations such as Ashton Research Hub, Blackrock, Golborne Clinic, Hindley Health Centre, Longshoot Health Centre, Shevington Clinic and Tyldesley Clinic.

A total of 3,235 modules will generate an expected saving of £300,000 – the equivalent annual electricity consumption of 518 UK households.

And it is predicted that once all the panels are up and running, WWL could make annual savings of up to £7.1m during their lifetime.

WWL is aiming to be net zero by 2045.