Latest news with #AcornBioenergy
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Haverhill campaigners "elated" after digestion plant is refused
Campaigners are "elated" after plans for an anaerobic digestion plant on farmland near a Suffolk town were Bioenergy wanted to build a complex that would turn manure and crops into renewable energy on land at Spring Grove Farm near said it would create jobs in the community and create enough energy to heat 7,000 homes, but the proposal received more than 1,000 a development and regulation committee meeting at the Conservative-controlled Suffolk County Council, councillors rejected the application. Acorn Bioenergy has been contacted for comment. Indy Wijenayaka, West Suffolk Council's Labour portfolio holder for growth and a spokesperson for the Muck Off Acorn campaign group, said it was "a fantastic moment"."This is a massive relief for the community and we can now start to get on with our daily lives and not have a the spectre of one of the biggest anaerobic biodigesters hanging over us like a cloud," he said."I am absolutely elated." When the plant was first proposed, more than 1,000 objections were raised, with residents lodging concerns about increased traffic and possible by-products from the were also fears the plant could eventually be used to dispose of food waste, after councils were told they must offer a food waste collection service by April defended the project, saying it would benefit the community and the wider county and also create organic fertiliser to be returned to Veitch, head of business development at Acorn Bioenergy, said the site would be "very well hidden" and be "very close to the A1307", suggesting traffic would have a lesser impact on local ahead of a meeting in which the plant was refused, planning officers raised concerns over the plant's proposed also said "insufficient information" had been provided regarding any impact on highway safety and the Bowman, a member of Muck Off Acorn, said he was thrilled the council threw out the plans. "We are elated and it really endorses what we have been saying all along that this is a ridiculous application for that location," he said. Joe Mason, Suffolk County Council member for Haverhill Cangle, also welcomed the ruling."This industrial-scale facility had no place near homes, the pre-school or our vital gateway into Haverhill," he said. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Haverhill digestion plant plan that sparked outcry faces refusal
Plans to build an anaerobic digestion plant, which has faced hundreds of objections, have been recommended for Bioenergy wants to build a site that would turn manure and crops into renewable energy, on land at Spring Grove Farm near Haverhill in said it would benefit the community and wider county, but planning officers advised Suffolk County Council throws out the application over concerns about its location.A campaigner told the BBC there were "so many reasons why this should be refused". The company behind the scheme has declined to comment ahead of the plans being discussed on Thursday. More than 1,000 objections were raised when the plant was proposed, with residents lodging concerns about increased traffic and possible by-products from the developers said the plant would create enough energy to heat 7,000 homes and bring in local jobs. They said it would also create organic fertiliser to be returned to farmers. In a document prepared ahead of a Development and Regulation Committee meeting at the Conservative-controlled council, officers raised concerns over the plant's proposed also said "insufficient information" had been provided regarding any impact on highway safety and the landscape. Mark Bowan, a member of Muck Off Acorn - a campaign group opposed to the project - said he was "delighted" that planning officers had recommended its refusal, "because there are so many reasons why this should be refused". "At the end of the day common sense has so far prevailed," he said. Indy Wijenayaka, West Suffolk Council's Labour portfolio holder for growth - and a spokesperson for Muck Off Acorn - added he was "really happy planning officers had seen the flaws" in the he added it was not yet "a done deal".
Press and Journal
25-04-2025
- General
- Press and Journal
Buckie community unites against biomass plant proposal they say will feel like 'living inside an industrial estate'
A village near Buckie has come together to oppose a biomass plant developer eyeing up a site on their doorstep. More than 100 people, almost the entire population of Rathven, have signed a petition objecting to a development on a site overlooking the village. Residents have spoken out about how the plant would affect their quality of life. It is developer Acorn Bioenergy's latest attempt at a digestion plant in Moray, after a site near Elgin was refused just last week. The plans are currently in limbo after an objection from Historic Environment Scotland forced Acorn to move the site. More than 100 residents in Rathven have signed the petition, which was accepted by Moray Council's development management and building standards manager Neal MacPherson and councillor Scott Lawrence this week. The petition outlines local concerns of detrimental HGV traffic, smell and noise coming from the plant if it was to go ahead. Local resident Scott Farquhar has lived in Rathven for 10 years and spent time gathering signatures for the petition. 'I'm not against the type of plant, It's a good idea,' he said. 'It's just not the right area for it.' 'It's not something the majority of the people in Rathven want in the area.' He said the landscapes around Rathven haven't changed since he moved there and the village values its rural surroundings with an 'abundance' of local wildlife. Mr Farquhar added: 'There's so much biodiversity in the area it would be a shame for that to be disturbed.' 'You just want to sit and enjoy your garden and your surroundings.' Ryan Taylor has also lived in Rathven for 10 years and was the village representative handing over the petition over to Moray Council. Mr Taylor said many of the road safety objections the village have are similar to the recently refused Elgin proposal, and says Acorn have again chosen the wrong site. 'The risks are greater down here because of the already high volume of HGVs,' he said. 'The fact we've had an accident on that road exactly adjacent to the new site just highlights it is a dangerous stretch of road.' A transport assessment from Acorn for the previous site entrance concluded there was enough capacity on March Road for the site and 'will not result in any operational or safety issues.' Mr Taylor added the scale of the proposal will feel like 'living inside an industrial estate.' He said his family would consider moving away from Rathven if the development was to go ahead. Doug Milton, a local resident in Rathven, said there is nothing Acorn could do to convince him to support the development. Mr Milton said: 'The actual concept of it is a very good thing, however it's in the wrong place. It's too near houses. 'Visually, I'll see it from across the road but it's the smells that will affect me in my house.' The plant intends to use 'locally grown and sourced' crops and manure as its primary feedstock for the plant, which produces biomethane and can be used as a heat source or fuel. Distillery draff and pot ale can be added as part of the process, which all breaks down into biogas and can be refined. Mr Milton estimates there will be 10,000 tonnes of manure delivered each year to the plant. 'That's colossal,' Mr Milton added. 'At some stage that's got to be exposed and the smell has got to come out.' The Rathven plant's original proposal hit a roadblock when Historic Environment Scotland took issue with the site's proximity to a nearby cairn. This forced the developer to look elsewhere in the field and have indicated they are looking at a site closer to Rathven. The Buckie plans are one of three projects Acorn has been working on across Scotland. As well as the recently refused plant in Longmorn near Elgin, Acorn also has an ongoing appeal with the Scottish Government for another refused plant at Balintore in Easter Ross. Acorn Bioenergy have been contacted for an update on the Rathven plans.
