Agenda item

The Committee considered a report which set out the request for planning permission sought by Glentham Agricultural Contractors Ltd to construct an on-farm anaerobic digestion plant, associated infrastructure, lagoons and feedstock clamps at land off Barff Lane, Glentham.

The feedstocks would be purpose grown agricultural feedstocks and farm based waste feedstocks.  The main issues that needed to be considered in the determination of this application were the location, air quality and odour, highways and traffic and visual impact.

The Head of Planning guided members through the report and set out the main issues to be considered in the determination of the application.  It was reported that planning permission had originally been granted by West Lindsey District Council in October 2020 for an Anaerobic Digestion Plan (AD Plant) and associated infrastructure on land off Barff Lane, Glentham.  At that time, the AD Plant was to use 100% agricultural feedstocks including maize, rye and straw and as a result fell within the remit of the district council as it was not a waste management operation.  Since this permission was given, the rules regarding the qualification for energy subsidies had changed and the new scheme (Green Gas Support Scheme) had a principal criterion for enrolment in this scheme which was that 50% of the biomethane, by energy content, must be produced using waste or residue feedback.

The Committee was advised that in order to qualify for the new scheme, the applicant proposed to change the feedstocks for the AD plant to 50% waste and residue feedstocks.   This change fell outside the scope of the planning permission granted by West Lindsey District Council and would result in the AD Plant being considered a waste management operation and the applicant was seeking planning permission from the County Council, as Waste Planning Authority, for a very similar development to that previously granted by West Lindsey District Council.

It was highlighted that one of the benefits to this change was that less land would be required to grow the energy crop, and it would help it to become a more sustainable form of development.

In terms of consultation and publicity, the Committee was advised that the local parish council had not objected to the proposal, however, comments had been made by Bishop Norton Parish Council.  It was also noted that there were no objections from the Environment Agency, but there were some advisory comments to be added to the conditions.  Objections from residents were set out on page 51 of the agenda pack, and it was highlighted that a further objection had been raised by a local resident which was included in the update circulated to the Committee.

It was highlighted that there had been a request from the applicant to amend recommendation 6 to include maize within the feedstock.  The officer advice was that there was no problem with this request and it was suggested that recommendation 6 was amended to include this.

The applicant, Chris Barton, spoke in favour of the application and made the following points:

·       He was a farmer and resident of Glentham

·       The report set out all the main details of the application

·       Planning permission for an AD Plant on this site had already been granted, but it would now be using 50% farm waste.  The change would see less agricultural land used to grow the energy crop

·       Pig and chicken litter were already brought into the farm on a daily basis, and there would be no reason to stockpile this material.

·       There would be no waste created from this process and so would be wholly sustainable.

Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions in relation to the application, and the following was noted:

·       It was commented that all members of the Committee were familiar with Anaerobic digestion, and the technology had been available for some time

·       There was already permission for an AD plant on this site, much was much better to use a recycled product.

·       It was commented that the geography of the site worked well for a facility such as this.

·       It was acknowledged that usual concerns regarding odour had been raised.

On a motion proposed by Councillor T R Ashton, seconded by Councillor P A Skinner, it was:

RESOLVED (unanimous)

That conditional planning permission be granted, subject to the amendment to recommendation 6 to include maize within the feedstock.