HUNDREDS of homes will receive low-cost renewable heating after a council was given new Government funding.

Brighton and Hove City and Adur District councils, along with the Shoreham Harbour Regeneration Partnership, secured more than £40,000 of funding to bring low carbon and renewable energy heating systems to hundreds of householders in Shoreham, Hove and Portslade.

Work will now begin on a feasibility study into providing a heat network for the Shoreham Harbour Regeneration Area.

The heat networks, or district heating schemes, supply heat from a central source directly to homes and businesses through a network of pipes carrying hot water.

The study will draw up a 'heat map' to identify demand and look at potential energy sources.

The funding is from the Heat Networks Delivery Unit in the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Councillor Pete West, chairman of Brighton and Hove's environment, transport and sustainability committee, said: “This money will enable us to look at the nuts and bolts of how to provide a heating network to communities.

“It is really exciting as the potential for district heating systems are that people have access to much lower heating bills together with a reduction in carbon emissions.”

Councillor Keith Dollemore, cabinet member for environment at Adur Council, said: “I welcome this as a great opportunity, using funding from central government, to explore the economic and practicality of developing a district heating scheme which should benefit the environment.”