Parish council votes against Greenham biomass plant

The proposal to install a 0.8 ha sustainable energy plant south of Buckner Croke Way was discussed at last week’s parish meeting and prompted both residents and councillors to express their objections.
Theresa King said: “Road use is the major thing; this will have an effect on Newbury. We don’t have enough roads as it is. We are worried about pollution on our roads.
“I do think the plant is a good idea, but nobody seems to take notice of the fact that it is in an urban area. We do get grid-locked, and people are not looking at the infrastructure.”
Olly Harrison, the managing director of Torftech Energy – the company behind the plant – was at the meeting to answer questions regarding the proposals. He said: “A logistics company will determine that. We will be emitting emissions which are negligible. The reason we chose the site was because of the convenience and location. It’s a Brownfield site that we could make better use of.”
Greenham Common Trust say that the plant will generate no more traffic than the average small-to-medium user on the park and is well within the park’s capacity and agreed limits.
Spokesman Julian May said that the power generated would go towards the National Grid and, “in addition to the electricity produced, the waste heat can be recycled and used by tenants on the business park making the process much more energy efficient.”
Arthur Johnson, who was the only council member to express no objection to the project, asked if the company would be employing from the local area.
Mr Harrison said the plant would employ around 25 people on shift patterns, and from the Newbury area where possible.
“We have no plans to bring in people from the outside and if we can find people locally then we will.”
Council chairman Patrick Planterose then expressed concerns of a “rush for responses”, referring to the short time left that residents could formally object; a window of opportunity that ends today.
Four members of the public also attended the meeting and one resident, Robin Weihs, questioned the efficiency of the plant.
He said: “The CO2 figures to bring the stuff to the plant is 26,000 tonnes, which almost negates the CO2 saved. The emissions from a biomass plant are equally as bad as a coal fire plant. I don’t think you can let this go through and I think you should think about it very carefully as there is not enough information.”
After the meeting Julian May of the Trust said: “We completely understand that residents want to be kept informed about the biomass plant which is why Torftech and Greenham Common Trust invited neighbours and members of Greenham Parish Council to attend a presentation in June.
“If the parish council requires more information, both Torftech and the Trust would be happy to help answer any queries they may have.”
After hearing all of the concerns at the meeting, councillors said they felt they had insufficient information. Parish clerk John Boston said: “My recommendation would be that if you, as councillors, feel that you don’t have enough information then you should object on these grounds.”
Formal public objections can be heard by West Berkshire Council until today, and a decision is not expected to be made until October 23.


Image courtesy of Pro Vision.