Animal Rescue Cumbria is redeveloping Higher Rowell Farm in Milnthorpe into a purpose-built animal welfare and rehoming centre. The aim is to become an RSPCA accredited sanctuary. PSA was appointed to carry out a RIBA Stage 1 M&E feasibility study covering mechanical and electrical services. The study identified a fully electric, low-carbon strategy to replace the site’s existing oil and LPG heating. With no mains gas available, the proposed solution centres on air source heat pumps, a 30–40 kWp solar PV array, and a DNO-upgraded three-phase electrical supply. The study also identifies a private well water supply as a practical way to reduce running costs.
CLIENT: Animal Rescue Cumbria (The Wainwright Shelter)
VALUE: £2.2m
LOCATION: Milnthorpe, Cumbria
SERVICES: M&E Feasibility and M&E Design & Renewable Energy Consultancy
CLIENT OBJECTIVES
Animal Rescue Cumbria had a clear brief: replace tired farm buildings with a modern animal welfare facility. The new site would house kennels, a cattery, grooming and hydrotherapy pods, education spaces, and income-generating services. Long-term, the charity aims to achieve RSPCA accreditation as a fully recognised animal sanctuary.
Furthermore, the client wanted to move away from oil and LPG heating — not only for environmental reasons, but because fuel costs placed a real strain on tight operating margins. They needed a credible, independently assessed mechanical and electrical (M&E) strategy to support planning and underpin future funding bids.
Equally important was honest, practical advice on what the site’s electrical infrastructure could realistically support and what upgrades would cost. Future-proofing was central to the brief, with EV charging, battery storage, and building automation all on the horizon.
OUR SOLUTION
PSA prepared a full RIBA Stage 1 M&E feasibility study covering heating, hot water, ventilation, electrical distribution, fire safety, data, and renewable energy. The study sets out a clear low-carbon strategy for the site and provides the client with budget costs, annual running cost estimates, and a list of recommended next steps ahead of Stage 2. Key design elements include:
- Five inverter-driven air source heat pumps to serve the farmhouse, cattery, kennel blocks, and shippen — covering a total estimated heat demand of 32 kW
- A 30–40 kWp solar PV array on south and east-facing roofs, offsetting a meaningful proportion of the site’s annual electricity use
- Application to Electricity North West for a new three-phase 40 kVA underground supply, replacing the existing overhead single-phase connection
- A private well water supply with a treatment system to drinking water standard, reducing dependency on mains supply
- Dedicated sub-distribution boards in each building, with space for future circuit expansion and sub-metering
- Tailored ventilation strategies — passive where appropriate, mechanical extract in kennels, cattery, grooming and hydrotherapy areas
- Provision for battery storage, EV charging, and a future ground source heat pump within the electrical and plantroom layouts
The main challenge on this project was the site’s complete absence of mains gas and the limitations of the existing single-phase electrical supply. A full all-electric strategy only works if the grid connection can support it, so securing the DNO upgrade, and confirming it is deliverable within the project programme, was central to everything else.
THE OUTCOME
The M&E feasibility study provides Animal Rescue Cumbria with a fully costed M&E strategy. The total estimated annual electricity costs of £27,000 and servicing costs of £5,300. Solar PV, generating 30–40 kWp, is forecast to offset a significant share of the 109,000 kWh annual electricity demand, and the all-electric approach eliminates ongoing oil and LPG costs entirely. Grid carbon emissions are estimated at 21 tCO2 per year. Est. annual electricity cost of £27k/yr.
