Pressure is mounting on environmental chiefs after it emerged £75,000 was spent researching low carbon initiatives – despite none being introduced.

Richmond Park’s Green Party candidate, James Page, lashed out at Richmond Council for pumping £55,000 into a study to cut the carbon footprint of the Civic Centre, in Twickenham, followed by a further £20,000 for a study into installing renewable energy boilers, before scrapping the plans.

A council spokesman insisted the money was not wasted, claiming instead it “provided valuable information as to how we can make our site more cost effective and more green”.

Mr Page said: “Having paid £75,000 on feasibility studies the plans to install renewable energy boilers in the council offices have now been shelved, apparently being too expensive to meet air quality standards.

“It’s several years since the council put aside £1m for climate change measures. Now it needs to use it to cut the carbon, and fast.”

He added that prominent green architect, Bill Dunster, had been quoted as saying adopting biomass in schools “required less time investment than keeping gerbils”.

Mr Page added: “There was a major plan to have a biomass (wood) boiler that would cover the Twickenham council offices (and at point even some housing).

“It iss really disappointing that i has now been quietly abandoned after all the studies, with no hint of what alternatives there are. The worrying thing is the consultants had already discounted the other options for various reasons.”

The council confirmed £55,000 had been spent looking into all carbon-cutting options, while £20,000 of a possible £40,000 went into the biomass approach.

The council’s cabinet member for environment, Councillor Geoff Acton said the feasibility study looked at the viability of a biomass boiler.

He said: “The council abandoned this study at an early stage, and cut off spending as soon as possible to keep costs to a minimum.”

“We will now consider the other options the research identified for the Twickenham site.

“The research is also hugely valuable in helping us to make the right choices, both financially and environmentally, when we repair or introduce new heating systems in all council owned buildings, such as schools and day centres.”

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