Altrincham Primary School LED Lighting Upgrade 2026

Key Points

• Navigation Primary School in Altrincham is replacing their old lights with energy-efficient LED lighting.
• The project is being undertaken on all 180 lights in the school.
• This project is part of the larger low carbon scheme by Trafford Council.
• Amey has helped out with the project through One Trafford Partnership.
• There have been problems at Navigation Primary School with the old lighting system that was expensive and hard to maintain.
• The project will see classrooms, cupboards, school hall and exterior lighting replaced with LED lighting.
• Rachel Pleasant, the school manager, said the students were interested in the environmental aspect of the project.
• Trafford Council provided a grant to help finance the replacement.
• Other Trafford sites getting the LED upgrade include Urmston Library, Brentwood School and College, Gorse Hill Primary School and Sale West Community Centre.
• According to Councillor Barry Winstanley, the council is happy with the pupils’ and the community’s response.

Altrincham (Manchester Mirror) October 1, 2026 – is nearing completion of a project to replace all its existing light fittings with energy-efficient LED units, according to a report published by The Messenger. The scheme is intended to help reduce carbon emissions and energy costs while improving lighting across the school’s buildings and grounds.

The upgrade forms part of Trafford Council’s wider programme of low-carbon improvements across public and community buildings. The council worked with Amey, its partner under the One Trafford Partnership, to support the changes at Navigation Primary and other sites in the borough.

The project has involved the replacement of 180 light fittings. The work is understood to cover every part of the school, including classrooms, smaller storage areas, the main hall and outdoor lighting.

Why did Navigation Primary replace its old lighting?

The lighting project began after Navigation Primary School reported continuing problems with its existing fittings. The school was built in the early 2000s, but its older lighting system had become increasingly expensive and difficult to maintain.

According to The Messenger’s report, the school was prioritised by Trafford Council for a grant that would help meet the cost of replacing the fittings. The grant allowed the school to proceed with a comprehensive refit rather than making isolated repairs to individual lights.

The replacement programme is almost complete. Rather than focusing on only the most frequently used rooms, the work has extended across the entire building and includes areas that may receive less regular use, such as cupboards.

The approach means that the lighting system is being updated consistently across the site. It also includes the school’s exterior lights, extending the environmental and maintenance aims beyond the classrooms.

What did the school manager say about the LED project?

Rachel Pleasant, school manager at Navigation Primary School, said the school had been looking for practical ways to lower its carbon emissions and reduce costs.

“I was given the task of looking for ways that we could reduce carbon and costs and this was one really good idea that we progressed,”

Pleasant said, as quoted by The Messenger.

She added that the work had taken time to plan and complete, but the school was now close to finishing the project.

“It took a while in the planning and having the work done but we are nearly there now,” Pleasant said.

Pleasant also highlighted the response from pupils. She said some children at the school were particularly environmentally conscious and had been interested in learning about the new lighting.

“Some of our pupils are very eco-conscious and have been excited to learn about our new lighting,” she said.

She added that staff and pupils were enjoying the brighter appearance of the school’s interiors and grounds following the installation.

The comments suggest that the project is being viewed by the school as both an operational improvement and an opportunity to engage pupils with environmental issues. The new lighting has provided a visible example of how changes to a building can be linked to wider efforts to reduce energy use and carbon emissions.

How does the lighting upgrade support the council’s low-carbon plans?

Trafford Council has identified LED lighting as one of the changes that can help public and community buildings reduce energy consumption and operating costs. Navigation Primary School is one of several buildings in Trafford to benefit from similar improvements.

The scheme was delivered with support from Amey through the One Trafford Partnership. The partnership is involved in council services and infrastructure work across the borough, including projects designed to improve the efficiency of public buildings.

Replacing older fittings across an entire site can also help simplify maintenance. Outdated lights may require more frequent repairs or replacement, particularly when parts become difficult to source. A full refit gives the school a modernised lighting system rather than leaving it dependent on a mixture of old and new fittings.

The project also reflects the role that schools can play in local environmental programmes. School buildings are used daily by pupils, staff and visitors, so improvements to their energy systems can have a direct effect on both the people using them and the council’s wider sustainability objectives.

Which other Trafford buildings are receiving LED lighting?

Navigation Primary School is not the only Trafford site included in the low-carbon lighting programme.

According to The Messenger, other buildings switching to LED lighting include:

• Urmston Library.
• Brentwood School and College.
• Gorse Hill Primary School.
• Sale West Community Centre.

The inclusion of libraries, schools and community centres shows that the programme extends across different types of public and community facilities. These buildings have different operating patterns and uses, but each requires lighting for staff, visitors and local residents.

The changes may also help make lighting more consistent across council-supported sites. However, the report does not provide a combined figure for the total number of fittings being replaced across all the buildings or a specific forecast for the overall reduction in emissions and energy costs.

What did Trafford Council say about the project?

Councillor Barry Winstanley, Trafford Council’s executive member for climate change, welcomed the work at Navigation Primary School and other buildings.

“We are delighted to have helped Navigation Primary School and other organisations to make this big change, and pleased to see community members and school children so happy with the results,” Winstanley said, according to The Messenger.messengernewspapers.co

His comments focused on the response from the people who use the buildings, including schoolchildren and members of the community. The council described the upgrade as a significant change for the organisations involved.

The project combines an environmental objective with practical improvements to public facilities. By supporting the replacement of older fittings, the council is seeking to address both carbon reduction and the ongoing costs associated with maintaining outdated lighting.

What is the current position of the Navigation Primary School work?

The LED refit at Navigation Primary School is almost complete. All 180 fittings are included in the project, with work extending from small internal spaces to larger areas such as the school hall and the outside of the building.

The available report does not state the exact completion date, the total cost of the installation, the expected annual energy saving or the precise reduction in carbon emissions. It also does not identify the manufacturer or model of the LED fittings.

Those details would be needed to assess the project’s financial payback and environmental performance in precise terms. At present, the confirmed development is the near-complete replacement of the school’s lighting system as part of Trafford Council’s low-carbon work.

The school’s comments indicate that the immediate effect has been a brighter appearance across its interiors and grounds. The council’s stated aim is to support more efficient public and community buildings while helping organisations reduce costs and emissions.

What is the background to Trafford’s lighting development?

Navigation Primary School was built in the early 2000s and had been using lighting that the school described as outdated, costly and increasingly difficult to maintain. The problems led the school to look for ways to reduce its carbon footprint and operating costs.

Trafford Council then prioritised the school for grant support, allowing the replacement of all 180 fittings. Amey assisted with the work through the One Trafford Partnership.

The project is part of a broader programme involving other Trafford buildings. The reported sites include Urmston Library, Brentwood School and College, Gorse Hill Primary School and Sale West Community Centre.

LED lighting is being introduced across these facilities as part of the council’s low-carbon changes. At Navigation Primary, the work covers the full site, including internal and external areas.

How could the LED upgrade affect pupils, staff and families?

The most direct impact for pupils and staff is likely to be the improved appearance and consistency of lighting across the school. Rachel Pleasant said the interiors and grounds appeared brighter and fresher after the work.

The project may also provide a practical learning example for pupils interested in environmental issues. Children can see how replacing building equipment is connected to reducing energy use and carbon emissions, although the report does not provide measured savings from the installation.

For families and the wider Altrincham community, the development demonstrates that environmental upgrades are being introduced in a local school rather than only in large council facilities. The wider programme could also help Trafford organisations manage energy and maintenance costs over time.

The precise effect will depend on factors such as how much electricity the new fittings use, how often the lights operate and the cost of future maintenance. Those figures were not included in the published report, so the financial and carbon benefits cannot be quantified from the available information.

The confirmed development is that Navigation Primary School is close to completing the replacement of 180 fittings, with the project supported by Trafford Council and Amey.