Council reapproves plans for new bioenergy plant

Plans for a bioenergy plant have been approved for a second time after concerns were raised that a planning law had been breached.

Acorn Bioenergy's proposal to build Astwick Green, in Evenley, Northamptonshire, was approved in September by West Northamptonshire Council.

The plan was called back in by the authority after a third party claimed officers had failed to assess it against the Northamptonshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Scott Packer, a Reform UK councillor and chair of the Strategic Planning Committee, casted the deciding vote to approve the project after four councillors voted in favour and four against.

Astwick Green would use an anaerobic digester to transform feedstock into a renewable gas called biomethane, Acorn Bioenergy said.

The process would use about 21,000 tonnes of farmyard manure and dairy slurry, 41,000 tonnes of maize and 21,000 tonnes of straw every year to generate energy to heat more than 8,000 homes.

People living near the 10.41-hectare (25.7-acre) site previously raised concerns over an increase in traffic, odours and disruption to the countryside.

"Our application has stringent safeguards to ensure that Astwick Green can be delivered without harm to our neighbours," said Daniel Lambert from Acorn Bioenergy.

"[There will be] no smell, no dust, no noise nuisance - Astwick Green is a renewable energy proposal, not a waste management development," he added.

Cathy Ellis, the chair of Evenley Parish Council, objected to the plan and told a committee meeting on Tuesday: "We were right all along that this application should have been tested against West Northamptonshire Council's own waste and minerals plan.

"Today, you have a report that tries to justify those serious errors."

Sebastian Charles, a solicitor representing other objectors, said that "an industrial-scale waste plant should be in an industrial location".

The committee imposed that a minimum of 50% of the feedstock used at the facility needed to come from within 15km of the site, and a limit was placed on the peak number of vehicle movements.

Farmer Laura Weston said her family would benefit from supplying the facility, adding: "The future of family farming in Northamptonshire is at risk unless we take steps to support those who provide our food.

"That's where Astwick Green comes in. It allows us to change to survive – still growing Britain's food, but with stable income, local fertiliser, and better rural job prospects."

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