Last updated 12:36, Thursday, 20 November 2008

ESKDALE Youth Hostel is celebrating the installation of its new wood fuelled biomass heating system.THE new owners of an Eskdale hotel have gone green with a bio-fuel heating system that only uses local timber.

An official opening was held yesterday, Wednesday, attended by Mayor of Copeland Keith Hitchen and included fireworks.

The biomass plant is housed in a new boiler house and will burn wood chip from nearby Miterdale Forest.

In a collaboration with the Youth Hostels Association, West Cumbria Wood Products Ltd raised the money to fund the project and installed the system.

West Cumbria Wood Products Ltd is a not-for-profit business formed by a community group to address issues of fuel poverty within Eskdale and surrounding areas.

With the Forestry Commission, they are sourcing timber for chipping from local woodland, in particular in Miterdale.

This assists with management of the environment and adds value by creating a market for lower grade timber that would not otherwise have a commercial use.

The youth hostel biomass plant is the second of three systems planned for Eskdale as pilot projects in the Eskdale Biomass Project.

The first was installed at St Bega's Primary School and incorporates a log burning system. The third project, for which funding will now be sought, is planned as a small community heating scheme serving a group of properties in Eskdale Green.

West Cumbria Wood Products funded the YHA part of the project with grants from the Lake District National Park Sustainable Development Fund, Cumbria Woodlands, West Cumbria Development Fund and Friends of the Lake District and also the DTI fund , the Bioenergy Capital Grant.

The youth hostel manager, Mick Blamires, said the biomass plant will enable YHA Eskdale to operate in line with its environmental policy as burning wood instead of oil for all its heating and hot water requirements will cut carbon emissions by 30 to 40 tonnes per year.

Attracting tourists to a rural area has environmental impact but the YHA wants to reduce its carbon footprint. The hostel is also fitting ‘Thermafleece’ loft insulation, made from sheep’s wool.

The heating system will save the hostel about £4,000 a year on fuel bills.

Harry and Paddington Berger, having bought Stanley Ghyll House, Eskdale, are invite locals around for a bacon sandwich and a coffee this Saturday (9.30am to 11.00am) when the Rev Anne Baker will also blessing the building and its future.

As directors of Greendoor Ltd – a company intent on bringing green tourism to Cumbria – Harry and Paddington will be available to talk about their plans and listen to local views on the building and eco/green ideas.

The would also be very grateful to receive any information or pictures relating to the history of the building.

Mrs Berger saidthe change from fossil fuel to wood burning based heating will help increase woodland employment in the area, reduce their carbon footprint, and help Eskdale by promoting the management of woodland.

She said the eco side of the business is financially sustainable because of the long term savings on operating costs which will help towards renovation of the 13 bedroomed accommodation.

Greendoor are employing only local businesses to help them achieve their goal, so that Stanley House – as it is to be called – can be fully open for business by Easter next year. Until tthen the business is running with 10 bedrooms.