Warwickshire county council has granted planning permission to SITA UK to build a 50,000 tonne-a-year capacity anaerobic digestion facility at Packington, between Birmingham and Coventry.
The decision, made by the councils planning and regulatory committee yesterday (August 22), is subject to the decision not being called in by the Secretary of State.
The proposed AD plant will be built on SITAs existing site in Packington
SITA UK already operates a landfill site at Packington as well as an open windrow composting facility. However, the landfill site is due to close next year.
The proposed AD facility will treat municipal, industrial and commercial organic wastes such as food and garden waste from the local area, including North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Coventry and Solihull.
It will also produce 1.6 megawatts of electricity – enough to power up to 2,800 homes which would be fed into the National Grid.
Commenting on the councils decision, Michelle Spruth, planning manager at SITA UK, said: We are delighted the County Planning Authority has agreed to permit the development of the anaerobic digestion facility. Warwickshire needs facilities like these to deal with the countys waste in an environmentally friendly and cost effective way. We look forward to starting work.
Proposals
The plans also include a proposal to have polytunnels, which would be operated by local growers of flowers and crops. A polytunnel is a tunnel made of polyethylene used to grow plants that require a higher temperature and/or humidity.
SITA explained that the polytunnels would enable some of the heat, compost and liquid fertiliser produced by the plant to facilitate the production of local food and produce. In addition, an area of the polytunnels would be dedicated for use by local schools and community organisations for horticultural use.
Planning
Minutes from the Committees meeting explain why it granted planning permission. It states: The provision of an anaerobic digestion facility at Packington would help to achieve landfill diversion targets and assist moving waste up the hierarchy. It would furthermore ensure the provision of a facility which would generate renewable energy and help, in a small way, to achieve the governments renewable energy targets.
It also explained that although the development constitutes inappropriate development in a green belt, its contribution towards renewable energy targets and waste processing made it worthwhile.
If the councils planning decision is not called in, SITA UK expects to start work on the facility in 2014.
