|
Peel Energy is pleased to announce details of a renewable energy plant proposed on the Ince Resource Recovery Park. The proposed biomass energy plant replaces the previously consented bioethanol plant. It would provide enough electricity to supply the average needs of up to 37,000 homes and be able to supply heat to nearby industry and businesses.
Ince Resource Recovery Park, owned by Ince Park LLP – a joint venture between Peel Environmental and Covanta Energy, was granted outline planning consent in August 2009 to play host to a variety of recycling, environmental and waste technologies.
This biomass plant would occupy part of the site that was previously earmarked for the production of bioethanol from waste wood. Myles Kitcher, the Director responsible for Ince Park, said: “Since consent for the bioethanol plant was granted, legislation regarding the funding of this kind of development has changed. A biomass energy plant now presents a more viable solution and fits well with the mix of other proposals for the site, including the timber recycling facility which was granted consent as part of the master plan for the Park.”
The biomass energy plant would take up to 175,000 tonnes of fuel per annum and use the latest technology to provide enough renewable electricity to meet the average needs of approximately 37,000 households. It would also have the potential to supply hot water or steam for use in local industry or business, increasing the plant’s efficiency. Around 17 full time jobs would be created at the plant including technical, managerial, administrative and manual posts.
Peel Energy first introduced its proposals to the local community in April at a meeting of the Ince Resource Recovery Park Community Forum. This group was set up at the beginning of 2010 to act as a regular forum for communication between local communities and the Park’s developers. The forum consists of district, parish and town councillors from the local area. Representatives from Cheshire West and Cheshire Council and the Environment Agency also sit on the forum committee.
A further detailed presentation was made to a joint meeting of the Community Forum and Elton, Helsby, Ince, Frodsham and Little Stanney Parish Councils at the Ellesmere Port Holiday Inn this week.
Speaking before the meeting, Jonathan Burley, development manager for Peel Energy said, “We are looking forward to getting feedback on the proposals from the Community Forum and Parish Councils. People will rightly be keen to understand the differences between the new proposal and the bioethanol development that was already consented for the site and what this means for them. We have been able to show that the impact on traffic would be no different, and the new scheme would actually reduce the density of the buildings on site. Some of the buildings would differ in height so we are working hard to understand the impact this would have on the surrounding landscape. Detailed studies on air quality are also on-going and clearly the plant would have to meet the highest standards before the Environment Agency could grant a permit for it.”
Further details of environmental assessments will be shared at a future meeting of the forum ahead of submitting the planning application to Cheshire West and Chester Council later this year.
Peel Energy is providing further information and inviting feedback on their proposals via their website : www.peelenergy.co.uk/ibep |
