Plans for a third waste energy plant in Sittingbourne
Comments |
By Hayley Robinson
A planning application has been submitted
for a third waste energy plant to be built in Sittingbourne.
Countrystyle Group – a waste management and
recycling company, which is working with Bioflame – a technology
specialist in providing biomass technology, submitted plans to Kent
County Council at the end of October to develop a small biomass
power plant at its existing site in Ridham Dock, Iwade.
The facility would generate renewable energy
from waste wood diverting up to 30,000 tonnes of wood from landfill
annually and generate enough electricity to meet the demands of
over 6,300 local homes.
The company claims that because it will be
using materials generated by the present on-site operations 1,500
HGV journeys a year will be saved.
KCC is expected to make a decision on the
application by February 2010 and subject to planning consent it’s
hoped the plant will be up and running by May 2010.
St Regis Paper, which owns Kemsley Mill, plans
to submit an application before Christmas to KCC to build a new
sustainable energy plant fuelled by pre-treated waste to supply
energy to the existing paper mill.
And Evonik New Energies UK Ltd and renewable
energy developer Biomass Fuels Ltd unveiled plans last month for a
25MW biomass combined heat and power plant to be built on
industrial land at Ridham Docks in Iwade.
Tory parliamentary candidate Gordon Henderson
has raised concerns about what it means for the town if KCC gives
the go ahead to all three plans.
He said: “If the planning applications are
looked at individually I am sure there will be some people who say
that the level of emissions is perfectly safe, however, if all the
applications are approved the combined level of emissions will be
more problematic, particularly for the communities in Kemsley,
Iwade and on Sheppey.
Countrystyle is holding an open day at Iwade
Village Hall from 4pm to 8.30pm on Monday, December 21.
Representatives from the company and Bioflame will be available to
talk to residents about the plans.
Thursday, December 03 2009
The KM Group does not moderate comments.
Please click here for our house rules.