Objections over ‘digester’ plan

Residents of east Spalding are concerned about a farm’s bid to build a new way to get rid of waste, a meeting has been told.

The Environment Agency is also objecting to Naylor Farms’ bid to build an anaerobic digester off Rangell Gate adjacent to its plant based processing plant.
It involves microbial organisms breaking down animal and/or plant waste in a vacuum while also generating environmentally energy.
The company claims this will be the first of its kind in South Holland, however there have been complaints over the smell similar sites have generated after being built in other parts of the country.
Coun Rob Gibson raised the issue at last week’s meeting of South Holland District Council.
Addressing council leader Nick Worth, Coun Gibson said: “There’s concerns about the smell drifting on to local residents.
“Some are very close but it’s also only a stone’s throw away to get to a host of other streets.
“Are we able to do any due diligence to find how these residents will be affected and take any action before it’s too late?”
Coun Worth said: “It will be subject to a planning application. I would think Environmental Health will have a big say in it and monitor it very closely.
“We can offer reassurance from that point of view.”
The Environment Agency objection does not involve any concerns over the smell.
Its objection to the council reads: “Private sewage treatment facilities should only be used where it is not reasonable for a development to be connected to a public sewer, because of the greater risk of failures leading to pollution of the water environment posed by private sewerage systems compared to public sewerage systems.”
The agency adds that the anaerobic digestion plant will require a permit and areas of potential harm will be considered when assessing the application.
Air quality impact assessment, emission benchmarks and techniques for pollution control are among those to be looked at.
Documents submitted with the application state: “This facility will be the first of its kind in South Holland will both highlight and strengthen Spalding and South Holland’s Environmental Credentials.
“The site has been chosen because of its accessibility, being to transport links and proximity to local labour sources with the creation up to 60 full time equivalent members of staff.
“The proposal will create a positive environmental impact on the area reducing waste, transport and carbon footprint in addition to biodiversity enhancements on the site itself which will improve the local area.”