PLANS to build a food waste ‘digester’ on a farm near Melksham are attracting concern from residents who say it will worsen traffic and make a bad smell.
Local people have written to Wiltshire Council, taken to social media, and contacted Melksham News to express anger at plans for a machine that converts food and farm waste to a renewable gas.
The anaerobic digester, which would be built on land near Sandridge Common, has been defended by the landowners and energy company, and Melksham Without Parish Council chose not to object to it after a recent public meeting.
27 people objected at the meeting and over 30 letters have been sent to Wiltshire Council.
A number of residents complained that they weren’t told about the application, and most are concerned about the potential smell and traffic.
One wrote, “We are extremely concerned about the safety of slow moving vehicles pulling out onto the very busy road [Sandridge Common]. There have been a number of serious accidents along the road.
“It seems ridiculous to add more traffic to this road let alone expect the tractors to pull out into the oncoming traffic.”
One claimed the smell produced by the plant would be “extremely vile” and another added, “Several thousand homes will be affected by the smell generated by these waste processing plants.
“Other plants in existence today cause thousands of complaints each year with a significant rise during the warm weather. Despite promises to remedy the smell they continue to blight people’s lives who live nearby. For example, complaints from Rothwell, Northamptonshire and Cannigton, Somerset.”
Henry Waite, from Elgar Middleton Bio Power Ltd, was at Melksham Without’s meeting to answer questions.
He said the access to the plant had been moved 50m down the road to improve visibility, and that the plant is expected to contribute six to 12 extra vehicle movements per day to the road, which currently sees 8,000 per day.
Responding to smell concerns, Henry Waite said the plant would be a big improvement on the farmers continuing to spread slurry on the land as they do now. He said it is the purpose of the digester to collect the smelly gas.
Melksham Without Parish Council decided to post no objection to the plans, but asked for time limits on when vehicles can visit the site and for more trees to be planted to block the view of the digester.
Core Policy 42 in Wiltshire Council’s ten year strategy to 2026 says it will support all renewable energy installations if they meet the right planning requirements.
A senior planning officer at the council has determined that the environmental impacts of the anaerobic digester are “not considered to be significant”.
Wiltshire councillors are expected to decide on Friday 24th March.
View the full plans and comments online using search reference 16/12469/ WCM at www.wiltshire.gov.uk
