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Anaerobic digestion plant proposed near Preston-on-Stour




Wellesbourne Airfield
Wellesbourne Airfield

The plant, which would cost several million pounds to complete, would consist of three domes measuring 17 metres high and three long four metre high traps, used to store crop matter before it is fed into the plant.

The fuel for the plant would be maize and rye, produced by farmers within 10 miles of the site, and would not produce a significant smell in the surrounding area.

John Scott Kerr, director of business development at Future Biogas, the company behind the project, said: “We capture the gas that is produced so there is no smell, if there is a smell it is bad practice and we are losing money.

“If you were to stand on top of the traps there is a localised sweet smell, but this isn’t something that is going to be wafting across the village.

“Anaerobic digestion plants are sustainable and renewable, providing power or heat 365 days a year and we don’t need the wind to blow or the sun to shine. I believed we will be cost competitive with nuclear power within five years.”

Mr Scott Kerr explained that obtaining the crop matter from local farms would allow those businesses to better rotate their crops, with the plant providing a market for maize and rye which are not always in huge demand.

He said the plant would run on maize and rye as a constant supply of food or vegetable waste could not be guaranteed.

Local resident Dave Benton said: “It’s something that’s going to break down arable crops, I can’t see the disadvantage, it’s good to see them doing something different.”

Jane Spence, who lives on a nearby farm, was less than enthusiastic about the plan.

Mrs Spence said: “I think it will affect the view from Wimpstone, you would be able to see it all from there. I don’t think it’s good that it needs 2,500 acres of maize to fill the thing, if it was food waste that might be different.”

Future Biogas say they will take in feedback from the consultation and hope to submit an application within 5-6 weeks.

If the application is successful, the company would look to have the site operational in 2017.



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