Farm business moves to allay neighbours’ concerns over proposed plant

Residents concerned about the impact of a proposed anaerobic digestion plant are being given the opportunity to find out more.

The planning application submitted by WD Branton, of Willow Tree Farm, Deeping St Nicholas, has upset some neighbours of the proposed site near Counter Drain Drove in Tongue End.

One objector, Helen Eve, says concerns centre around transport movements and the “sheer size” of the plant.
She said: “There would be sileage clamps 100 metres long and four metres tall and seven storage tanks 11 metres high. This is going to be 330 metres from back gardens. The visual impact is going to be absolutely horrendous.”

She claims the applicant has only called the drop-in session on Monday (June 13) at Parker and Sons Ltd, Tate Business Bark, Pode Hole (3pm-7pm) after pressure from residents.

The date for comments to be made to South Holland District Council has already passed. Andrew Branton, partner in WD Branton, accepted that that was unfortunate but said it had always been planned to hold an event.

He said the company was at fault, though, for saying food waste would be going into the plant. This was a typing error in the application.

And he added: “There is no reason for Tongue End residents to be unduly concerned about additional traffic and particularly HGVs using local roads. It is anticipated that most of the vehicle movements will be tractors and trailers, using private, internal farm roadways in much the same way as the farm currently operates.”

Suggestions of unpleasant odour were ill founded, he said, and with moving parts in acoustic cabinets, the process would be “virtually silent.”

Mr Branton added: “The visual impact of the site will be mitigated where possible and the proposal replaces an existing building. The panorama already features electricity pylons and wind turbines and this plant will be only similar in size to a large agricultural crop store of which there are examples in the region.”