Skip to content
Heat Network Zoning.Independent tracker of heat network zoning in England
Heat network zoning pilot place

Bristol heat network zone

Bristol is at stage 2 of 6: zone development area. No heat network zone has been formally designated anywhere in England, because the zoning regulations are not yet in force.
2Zone development area

Last change

UnreviewedThis record was compiled from the sources below and has not yet had an editor’s final check. Report an error.

Summary

Where Bristol has got to

Bristol was among the first places government named to develop a heat network zone, in October 2024, and had agreed to join the Advanced Zoning Programme that February. Its networks are already run through Bristol City Leap, a 20-year partnership with Ameresco and Vattenfall that began in January 2023. The February 2025 report identifies four strategic zones across the city.

Status

Stage history

  1. 1Pilot

    Listed among the 28 places in the government's heat network zoning pilot, which published its first outputs in September 2024.

    Source: Heat networks zoning pilot (GOV.UK)

  2. 2Zone development area

    Named by government as one of the first places to develop a heat network zone, sharing £5.8m of Advanced Zoning Programme funding.

    Source: Six towns and cities to pilot clean heating innovation (GOV.UK, 25 Oct 2024)

Geography

Zone boundaries and candidate areas

The strategic zones are the City Centre, North Bristol, Fishponds and Hengrove.

Source: Heat network zone opportunity report: Bristol (by Ramboll)

Candidate areas come from government-commissioned studies and council work. They are not legal boundaries. A zone’s boundary is fixed only when it is designated under the zoning regulations.

Delivery

Developers and partners

OrganisationRoleDate
Bristol City Leap (Ameresco and Vattenfall Heat UK)20-year council energy partnership that runs and expands the city's heat networks. It predates zoning.Source: The energy service (Bristol City Council)Development or delivery partner (outside the statutory process)Jan 2023

No statutory zone developer can be appointed until a zone is designated. Partners appointed by councils before then are listed as development or delivery partners.

Today

Existing heat networks

Paper trail

Council and government documents

DateDocument
Heat network zone opportunity report: Bristol (by Ramboll)Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Six towns and cities to pilot clean heating innovationDepartment for Energy Security and Net Zero
Decision to accept an offer to join the Advanced Zoning ProgrammeBristol City Council

Changelog

Changes logged for Bristol

Alerts

Get an email when Bristol changes stage

We use your email only to send these alerts. See the privacy notice.

Sources

Sources for this page

  1. Heat networks zoning pilot (updated 25 November 2025) — Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 25 November 2025
  2. Six towns and cities to pilot clean heating innovation — Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 25 October 2024
  3. Heat network zone opportunity report: Bristol (by Ramboll) — Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 14 February 2025
  4. Decision to accept an offer to join the Advanced Zoning Programme — Bristol City Council, 20 February 2024

Record last checked .