East Renfrewshire Council has provided funding for the panels which together with a range of other measures will save more than 18 tonnes of carbon emissions a year. Their installation form part of a complete renovation of the building to support older people and the community across East Renfrewshire.

The new facilities will offer a range of activities alongside disability and health support groups to help those most at risk of isolation and with long-term health needs, and the Retail Trust is calling on local community groups to join them in providing services from the hub ahead of its launch later this year.

Three disused spaces and the site’s community café are being refurbished by the Retail Trust to create the hub and the building’s heating, ventilation, windows and electricity are also being upgraded, and a glass conservatory roof replaced, to further improve its energy efficiency.

Figures from last year found that East Renfrewshire saw a higher rise in renewable energy installations, such as solar panels, than any other UK authority, with a 31% year-on-year increase.

Lawrence Coen, managing director of property and supported living at the Retail Trust, said: “We’re incredibly grateful for the support of funders like East Renfrewshire Council who are enabling us to build our new community hub whilst reducing its energy usage and costs,  so that we can protect its long-term future and focus on helping even more local people.

“We’ve been working with organisations including Voluntary Action, Age Concern and Talking Points East Renfrewshire to develop our plans for these facilities and we’re encouraging more community groups to join us in providing services from there when we launch later this year.”

East Renfrewshire Council‘s £10,000 funding for the new solar panels has been provided through a Get to Zero grant.

More than 120 people currently live on the Hugh Fraser Retirement Estate, one of five supported living estates run by the Retail Trust for people retired from the retail industry, or who are in the care of someone working in or retired from the sector. The charity also works with more than 200 retailers to protect their staff’s wellbeing.