Sustainability

As a proud partner of Climate Action North, we actively arrange eco-friendly initiatives across the centre and Parkland to improve our carbon footprint, support wildlife and care for our surroundings. Our efforts include planting trees annually and replacing plastic tree covers with wood.

Did you know Dalton Park has two large solar panel arrays on its roof? Installed in July 2018, the 850 PV panels have generated over 532,000 kWh of clean energy, powering public areas within the Centre. That’s enough electricity to boil a kettle nearly 4.8 million times, power 139 UK homes for a year, or 290 electric cars annually—while offsetting 132.3 tonnes of CO₂. Although the panels aren’t visible from the mall, they’re playing a key role in reducing the Centre’s carbon footprint.

Dalton Park is the first retail shopping park in the North of England to introduce a Pollinator Parks® Garden. Launched in 2020, the initiative transformed underused space near the M&S Outlet into a thriving wildflower meadow, designed to support local wildlife and promote small-scale rewilding.

Over 350 native wildflower plants, including Red Campion, Dark Mullein, Primrose, and Oxeye Daisy, have been planted to attract bees, butterflies, and birds. The garden also features a willow sculpture by local artist Ruth Thompson, adding a creative focal point to the space.

Wildflower meadows are vital for pollinators, which contribute an estimated £690 million annually to the UK economy, yet are declining at alarming rates. This project supports biodiversity and creates a beautiful, nature-friendly environment for visitors, staff, and the wider community.

Meet Dale the Eco Whale – a striking sculpture made from 745 recycled plastic bottles, now on display at Dalton Park as a symbol of sustainability and the fight against plastic pollution. Dale was created to inspire shoppers to think differently about waste and show how recycling can turn rubbish into something beautiful. Visitors are encouraged to donate their used plastic bottles, which will be transformed into Recy-Print decorations displayed around the Centre.

Dale’s presence aims to raise awareness about the environmental impact of plastic and promote community action. This creative initiative brings people together to support cleaner oceans and a healthier planet.

Additionally, we actively engage with local schools through regular litter-picking campaigns and support both job creation and the growth of local businesses. Since 2008, our water-saving measures in public toilets have reduced consumption by 77%, and our landscape contractors prioritise recycling and composting green waste. To support greener travel, we offer on-site EV charging points, with more planned for the future. We also ensure all paper used is FSA-accredited and have committed to using “green” energy from our supplier.

At Dalton Park Outlet, we’re making it easier to stay hydrated while reducing waste with free water refill stations located opposite Baker + Baristas and opposite Greggs. Simply bring along your reusable bottle, top up on the go and help cut down on single-use plastic. You can also recycle plastic bottles with Dale the Eco Whale, our much-loved sculpture made from reclaimed plastic, which reminds us all to do our bit for the planet. If you don’t yet own a reusable bottle, many of our stores have stylish and sustainable options available.