Plans have been submitted for a new energy centre at Queens Quay which developers say could make Clydebank become the “greenest town in Scotland”.

The proposed facility for the District Heat Network will form part of the first phase of development at the £250 million regeneration project on the site of the former John Brown’s shipyard and will serve the entire Queens Quay site and beyond.

Queens Quay’s District Heat Network will be the largest and most ambitious in Scotland and will enable valuable energy, which is often wasted in power generation and industrial processes, to be captured and supplied to householders and businesses directly.

The 100% carbon free system is designed on a modular basis to allow expansion, with the ability to include the nearby Golden Jubilee Hospital as well as the wider Clydebank area making the network effective and efficient from both technical and financial perspectives.

Within the energy centre water source heat pumps will extract water from the River Clyde, giving the system a direct link to natural resources. Additional piping will be located in the wider area to facilitate connections to new homes, as well as public buildings such as Clydebank College and Leisure Centre, and into the town centre.

The proposed energy centre will also accommodate gas boilers, pressurisation units and distribution pumps together with a building control and management system to operate and monitor the system. This system is generally controlled remotely with no requirement for permanent staff. An on-site office and welfare facilities will be located on the mezzanine level.

Developers claim the design of the energy centre will create an attractive landmark for the area which will complement the historic Titan Crane whilst the glazed riverfront elevation will facilitate views into the centre.

The masterplan for the development of Queens Quay was approved by West Dunbartonshire Council in March 2016. The site is owned by Clydeside Regeneration Limited (CRL) with the council part funding the development.

Dawn Urban Regeneration Ltd is the development partner and is working in partnership with the council to deliver the energy centre and the wider development.

West Dunbartonshire Council will own, operate and maintain the entire heating system, ensuring security of supply and reduced tariffs for customers. The Scottish Government is providing £6m of funding towards the system via its Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme with the council covering the remaining £6m.

Paul O’Donnell of Dawn Urban Regeneration Ltd said: “This development will be the first of many at Queens Quay to regenerate Clydebank’s waterfront. As well as being a fantastic start to the project, it also promises to create a legacy for the whole of Clydebank by tackling issues such as low carbon energy from entirely renewable sources, energy security and fuel poverty. This is the first time a system like this will be installed in Scotland and we are very excited about the prospect of getting started on site to bring this vision to fruition.

“The system harnesses the River Clyde’s latent energy which will distribute heat to existing and new communities in the area. It is a major development for Queens Quay and one that will benefit the residents and businesses of Clydebank and beyond for generations to come.”

The first phase of enabling works have now completed on site, two weeks ahead of schedule.

Civil engineering contractor I & H Brown undertook the workswhich included excavating existing subsoils and segregating unsuitable materials before backfilling the excavations with materials recycled from elsewhere on the site.

The works also included platforming sites in order to prepare the land for creation of the Health Quarter, which will contain a new £15m care home and state-of-the-art £25m health centre.

The next stage of infrastructure works, involving the formation of a new access road and utilities connections which will service the entire mixed-use site, will commence in quarter 1 2018 before construction of the new care home and health centre starts in the summer. Subject to planning consent, construction of the energy centre is also expected to commence in quarter 1 2018 following the completion of the contractor tender process.

Duncan Graham, of Clydeside Regeneration Limited, added: “The development offers an opportunity to open up an area of Clydebank which has been derelict for a number of years, whilst also creating much-needed housing and other amenities in a stunning location overlooking the Clyde.”