News

Wednesday 14 July 2010

A landscape plan of the Bore Hill farm redevelopment

Wiltshire council has granted planning permission for the redevelopment of Bore Hill farm, in Warminster, which will include a biogas plant treating food waste and animal slurry using anaerobic digestion (AD) and combined heat and power (CHP) technology.

Malaby Biogas , the AD division of Bradford-on-Avon-based property development company Malaby Martin, lodged a planning application for the site with Wiltshire council in February 2010, which was then validated in March (see this NewEnergyFocus.com story).

Following what the developer claims was a lengthy planning process, the proposals were formally approved by the council's strategic planning committee last week (July 7).

The plans are to establish a biogas plant processing food waste using AD and CHP technology to create 680kWh of renewable heat and power. Additionally, the existing redundant farm buildings will be replaced with new employment units, which will be supplied with heat and electricity generated on site by the biogas plant.

Around 12,000 tonnes of food waste and 5,000 tonnes of farm slurry per annum are set to be processed in the plant and surplus electricity will be sent to the local electricity grid. The plant will also produce digestate - which can be used as a fertiliser.

According to Malaby Biogas, the capacity of the plant is dictated by a number of factors, including the rate of feedstock coming in, rate of digestion, rate of energy generation and the rate of digestate disposal to farms. However, it claims the plant will create enough renewable electricity for around 1,000 homes.

Throughout the planning process, the developer claims its design team has worked to ensure a
sympathetic and considerate scheme is produced which addresses local concerns as well as the need for sustainable development.

Commenting on the scheme, Malaby Biogas's director, Thomas Minter, said: "We are looking forward to working constructively with a whole range of stakeholders to ensure this type of integrated development is successful.

"Provision of a unique visitors centre on site will allow educational opportunities for communities and industry relating to waste management, renewable energy and sustainable development."

The council's report states that 16 letters of objection to the proposals were received, along with 26 letters in support of the application.

Sustainable

Concluding that planning permission should be granted, the report says: "Having taken into account the environmental information, the council is of the opinion that the proposed development is in accordance with the Development Plan and that there are no material considerations that indicate the decision should be made otherwise.

"The biogas plant would provide a sustainable means of creating renewable energy through the processing of waste to provide a source of power to run the plant itself, adjoining employment units, and supply electricity to the national grid. The employment units would provide the opportunity for new technology to develop and contribute to the vitality and economic viability of Warminster. The council is of the view that the development proposed on the Bore Hill site is acceptable."

In the coming months, Malaby Biogas claims it will be working on detailed plans for the construction and operation of the site and it is intended that the biogas plant will become fully operational early in 2012.