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Environmental health officers at Trafford Council have confirmed that projected emissions of most of the key substances from the proposed Barton Renewable Energy Plant will not be a cause for public health concern.
In a written report to planning officers, air quality chiefs at the council state that they are satisfied that the biomass-fired plant will not emit unsafe levels of dioxins and furans, sulphur dioxide, benzene or particulate matter, often known as PM10s and PM2.5s.
The report to local planning officers also states that information submitted to Trafford Council in opposition to the development by the Breathe Clean Air Group is “flawed and not credible”. As well as containing “misleading comments”, the report highlights that “measurements and techniques forming the basis of the BCAG report are inappropriate and not fit for purpose.”
Peel Energy project manager Jon England said: “We are satisfied with many of the report’s findings. However, there is still some work to be done as the air quality department has indicated that it has outstanding concerns about nitrogen dioxide levels – which are primarily caused by M60 motorway traffic – as well as potential ambient arsenic levels.
“We have agreed to supply further information to Trafford that addresses those concerns and will demonstrate that generation of renewable electricity and heat at the plant will not cause air quality problems. The information will be based on existing technology already used at other modern plants in Europe.”
“The report highlights inaccurate and misleading assertions by BCAG. Following the withdrawal of their leaflets earlier this year after the intervention of the Advertising Standards Authority, we believe residents are now aware that this group peddles misinformation that bears little resemblance to reality.”
Salford Council’s planning officers have also recommended that Salford Council does not object to the BREP proposal. Their recommendations conclude that air quality impact “would be minimal and as such it would be inappropriate to object to the development as a result of its location.” Salford Planning Committee considers the proposal on Thursday 2 June.
Trafford Council has already received responses that offer no objection to the proposal from the Health Protection Agency, Trafford PCT, the Environment Agency, Greater Manchester
Ecological Unit and Greater Manchester Police. The North West Development Agency has also publically backed the project. |
