Great Bowden residents 'shocked' as go-ahead recommended for controversial biogas plans

The full council is set to vote on the application, from Great Bowden Green Energy Ltd, which has received 300 objections, on Thursday (August 7) while a petition by Neil O’Brien MP has amassed over 1,000 signatures.

The anaerobic digestion plant is planned on a former mushroom farm on Welham Lane and would take-in chicken manure, maize and straw to turn into gas.

Objectors say concerns over odour, noise, emissions and traffic problems, have been ignored.

The applicant said the treatment process would not create smells, and there would be a maximum of 52 daily lorry movements in and out of the area during 30 peak days per year - with 22 trips at other times.

It also said loads would be covered to prevent spillage.

But residents are not convinced, and are urging councillors to reject the plans or at least pause the process to ‘properly engage’ with the community.

Locals claim the LCC’s recommendation includes inaccuracies, refers to numerous communications never disclosed to the public and is dismissive of issues raised, including by expert reports.

Resident Maria Arnesson lives less than 500m from the proposed site. She said: “We’ve seen the consequences of poor siting where communities were left dealing with unbearable smells, health complaints and long legal battles. So given this clear precedent, we urge the planning authority to prioritise the wellbeing and health of residents and take the common-sense approach to prevent the distress and resulting legal action experienced in other areas.”

Green Party councillor Darren Woodiwiss said the party was ‘conflicted’ with the project. He added: “While we advocate for an urgent and rapid transition to renewable energy sources, this project is in an entirely inappropriate setting due to its close proximity to residents’ homes, the National Cycle Route and the new country park which will create a conflict between heavy commercial traffic and families enjoying the area. Anaerobic plants are notorious for their noxious odours and this should be a primary consideration and cause enough for rejection.”

Harborough District Council leader Phil Knowles also said he hopes the planning committee will refuse the application.

A spokesperson for LCC said all comments had been acknowledged during a two-round consultation process.

They explained: “The application for a Biogas plant in Great Bowden was first received over two years ago and has been through two rounds of public consultation.

“Both rounds of consultation have given an opportunity to make comments on the application, and over 300 responses were received. All of the comments have been taken into account as part of the application’s assessment.

“The papers for Thursday’s meeting were published one week before the meeting was due to be held and this is normal procedure for all applications considered by the Development Control and Regulatory Board.”

They also pointed out that plans include an ‘open surface water lagoon, and a covered digestate lagoon’, as opposed to ‘an open manure lagoon’ as referred to by residents in media correspondence.