PSA recently undertook a project at Windy Harbour Holiday Park, helping to expand and modernise the resort. The client aimed to significantly increase capacity and enhance guest experiences. Our team provided crucial mechanical and electrical engineering expertise, developing strategies for sustainable energy solutions and overcoming infrastructure challenges. Full design included, HV, LV, heath spa, 500 lodges, entertainment centre, offices, sales facility, generator, solar PV, heat and cooling district heating network and energy centre.
CLIENT: Windy Harbour Holiday Park
VALUE: £50m
LOCATION: Blackpool, Lancashire
SERVICES: Sustainability & Energy Feasibility, Mechanical & Electrical Design
CLIENT OBJECTIVES
Windy Harbour Holiday Park sought to expand their offering, adding 102 acres to their existing resort. The ambitious plan included 495 new holiday homes and a range of luxury amenities such as a spa, gym, bar, restaurant, and entertainment facilities. This expansion aimed to not only increase capacity but also elevate the overall guest experience, positioning the park as a premium holiday destination. The client needed expert guidance to ensure the infrastructure could support this significant growth sustainably.
OUR SOLUTION
As the appointed mechanical and electrical engineers, PSA began by conducting a comprehensive feasibility study to understand the site’s potential energy sources, with a keen focus on carbon offsetting options.
We explored innovative solutions to address the electricity supply constraints due to the estimated grid reinforcement requiring a 2.9 MW increase, The client’s brief was to cap imported power at roughly 1 MW, achieve Part L carbon compliance for the new leisure and spa blocks, and leave head-room for future EV charging and net-zero targets.
To meet this, we built half-hourly demand models, evaluated six on-site supply options (PV, wind, air-source heat pumps, CHP, biomass and standby generators) and combined them into four cost-versus-carbon scenarios.
The preferred configuration—twin 250 kW generators paired with 250 kW of PV and a single 250 kW wind turbine—shaved peak demand enough to avoid the upgrade, saving about £1 million.
Full Mechanical & Electrical designs included:
- Power supply for HV and LV
- Heath spa
- 500 lodges
- Entertainment centre
- Offices
- Sales facility
- Generator
- Solar PV
- Heat and cooling district heating network
- Energy centre
THE OUTCOME
Our team’s expertise has been instrumental in steering the project towards success. We’ve tackled the significant challenge of securing adequate electricity supply for the site, prompting creative exploration of alternative energy sources. As the project progresses, we continue to collaborate closely with the architect, bringing our technical know-how to each new phase of development.
