Heat Networks Zoning Pilot
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-25)

The zone identification pilot set out to develop a consistent, standardised methodology to identify areas where heat networks are expected to provide the lowest cost, low carbon heat to buildings.

Outputs from this pilot are being made available so that stakeholders across England can:
- identify where, within the 28 pilot locations (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-network-zoning-maps), heat networks exist and/or are highly likely to grow or be built out in the future
- understand the scale of the opportunity reports, the methodology used (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-network-zone-opportunity-reports) and understand how the district heat network opportunities in these could be presented to potential investors or developers
- watch our market engagement webinar series recordings, showcasing the market opportunities from early zone development in a selection of these pilot areas
The heat network zone identification pilot has developed a methodology for identifying those geographic zones/areas where heat networks are expected to provide the lowest-cost, low-carbon heat to buildings. These are the areas that would have the potential to become heat network zones under Heat Network Zoning policy.

The pilot involved testing and refining the methodology and defining the principles of what a heat network zone could look like in practice. During the pilot we worked with 28 local authority partners across England as well as technical and modelling consultants to test the methodology in different areas. This helped us understand issues such as how zone boundaries should be defined and what data is required to determine zone boundaries.

Lessons from the pilot have been used to inform the development of Heat Network Zoning Policy. Once the response to the heat network zoning consultation is published, we will be updating the methodology to reflect the final policy position, undertake detailed quality assurance of the model and launch a web-based interface to allow stakeholders to view potential zones on a map. In the interim a selection of maps developed through this pilot are now available via the links at the top and bottom of this page. Should local government decide to designate a heat network zone, an organisation will need to be identified to design, install and operate the district heat network. Through this pilot more detailed reports have been developed for the pilot locations to illustrate the type of information that could be made available to a heat network developer at this point in time.

As well as showing existing networks, these resources show the locations that an early version of the methodology has identified in which zones could be developed or expanded. The reports and maps should be viewed as illustrative examples to enable stakeholders to engage with the development of heat network zoning policy. They are not the final products providing definitive information on the future extent or size of zones.

Please note: these reports and the maps within are from the pilot phase of the heat network zoning policy and process development. As such, the contents, including data shown in maps, technical and economic data within the report, are likely to change. No part of this report shall be relied upon for any business decisions.

Heat network zone opportunity reports (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-network-zone-opportunity-reports) - indicating the heat network investment opportunities at a city scale, the potential location of heat network zones and key opportunities for initial heat network development within those zones. The methodology used is available in a supporting statement.

Heat network zone maps (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-network-zoning-maps) - showing a selection of existing and potential heat network zones in England.

Further enquiries

If you have any comments or queries about these reports and maps then please send them through to: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx). This will help inform the development of future versions of the report, the web-based service and heat network zoning engagement.

Background

The Energy White Paper (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-white-paper-powering-our-net-zero-future), Heat & Buildings Strategy (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-and-buildings-strategy) and Net Zero Strategy (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/net-zero-strategy) committed us to introduce heat network zoning in England by 2025, as a key enabler for growing the heat network market. The Energy Act 2023 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/52) contains legislation to bring heat network zoning into force and in 2023 we consulted on proposals for heat network zoning to inform secondary legislation.

The local authorities that participated in the heat network zoning pilot were:
- Barking & Dagenham, Birmingham, Bridlington, Bristol, Canterbury, Carlisle, Cheltenham, Coventry, Darlington, Exeter, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Hull, Lancaster, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Northallerton, Norwich, Nottingham, Peterborough, Plymouth, Sheffield, Southampton, Southwark, Stoke, Strood, and Sunderland
The model that supports zone identification has been developed by Centre for Sustainable Energy, on behalf of the department. Nine zoning technical consultants (AECOM, Anthesis, Arcadis, Arup, Buro Happold, Greenfield Nordic, Ramboll, Witteveen Bos / Nordic Energy, WSP) also worked on the pilot.

The pilot involved engaging with the wider heat network industry as well as those with a broader interest in the decarbonisation of heat including:
- local authorities
- electricity and gas distribution network operators
- housing associations
- owners of large public sector and commercial non-domestic buildings (for example, NHS trusts, universities, hotels, supermarkets, office blocks)
- owners of potential waste heat sources (energy from waste operations, data centres, industrial operators, sewage utilities)