Peel’s Ince biomass plant approved

PEEL Energy’s proposal to build a 20MW biomass energy plant at Ince Park in Cheshire has been approved by Cheshire West & Chester Council.

The company said that the £70m plant will use around 175,000 tonnes of waste wood every year and will be capable of generating enough electricity to power 37,000 homes.

The firm added that the two-year construction programme to build the plant could begin next year, meaning it could be operational by 2014.

Peel’s plan to build the energy from waste plant at Ince Marshes had been strongly opposed by an action group known as Residents Against Incineration, which had argued that the plant poses potential health risks.

However, planning officers had advised councillors to approve the application, stating there were no proper grounds for refusal.

Jon Burley of Peel Energy said: “We would like to thank the council for giving the plans a fair hearing. We realise that applications like these are not easy. However, these are exactly the kind of decisions that are required if the UK is to meet its renewable energy targets and avoid valuable resources going into landfill.

“We are very pleased with the outcome and look forward to taking the project on to the next stage, ultimately delivering renewable energy and jobs for the region. We are also keen to continue our dialogue with community groups via the Ince Park Community Forum as we have done throughout the application process.”

The plant is expected to employ around 17 people.