Application submitted for biogas plant in Warminster
Thursday 11 March 2010
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| A landscape plan of the Bore Hill farm redevelopment |
Malaby Biogas, the anaerobic digestion (AD) division of property development company Malaby Martin, has lodged a planning application with Wiltshire council for a 680kW biogas plant at Bore Hill farm, near Warminster, which would use AD and combined heat and power (CHP) technology.
Plans were submitted to the council in February and validated earlier this month (March 5).
The proposals are for the integration of a biogas plant and the redevelopment of redundant farm buildings at the site into a sustainable business development to provide new employment opportunities for the local area.
Bradford on Avon-based Malaby Biogas and Malaby Martin propose treating 5,000 tonnes of animal slurry and 12,000-15,000 tonnes of food waste in the plant. The majority of the heat and power produced will be used on-site, with any excess electricity exported to the local electricity grid.
The applicants claim the plant will produce enough renewable electricity to power approximately 1,000 homes.
Also forming part of the proposals is the intention of the companies to establish a Farm Collaboration Scheme, whereby Malaby Biogas intends to offer the nutrient rich fertiliser, a by-product of the AD process, at preferential rates to those supplying input slurries.
Economic
Commenting on the site, Thomas Minter of Malaby Biogas, said: "This site has been chosen because it is very close to existing infrastructure and it is a redundant site. These proposals will bring it back into economic use."
During the consultation process, a voluntary Environmental Impact Assessment was undertaken by the applicants to evaluate the impact the scheme would have on its surroundings and forms a key part of the planning application.
The firms claim that redeveloping the traditional farmstead layout into sustainable business units will provide employment opportunities to Warminister and it is also proposed that a visitor centre will be developed.
As well as the visitor centre, Malaby hopes to provide an associated viewing space in the biogas plant to allow interested parties to visit Warminster and learn about the renewable project and the wider context of global warming and sustainability.
Wiltshire council aims to have made a decision on the development by June 25 this year.
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