Haverhill councillors challenge proposals by Acorn Bioenergy to build a biomethane plant in Withersfield next to the A1307

Councillors whose wards would be most affected by a proposed biomethane plant have urged residents to make their views known after a planning application finally went live.

It is now one year since news first broke of Acorn Bioenergy’s intention to create an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant on 34.59 acres (14 hectares) of land near Spring Grove Farm, in Withersfield, next to the A1307 and close to Haverhill.

The facility would generate biogas which is upgraded on site into biomethane, before being removed by tanker to a central facility for injection into the national grid.

Documents submitted by Acorn Bioenergy as part of the planning application state that about 92,000 tonnes of feedstock, such as silage, rye, maize and grass, straw and poultry litter and farmyard manure would be taken to the site per year from the applicant Thurlow Estate’s landholding and other local farms.

It would then undergo controlled decomposition (anaerobic digestion) to make the biogas.

The planning application has now been published on the Suffolk County Council website.

Suffolk County Councillors David Roach, Bobby Bennett and Joe Mason have united in advising people to formally submit their comments to the council planning team.

This is done by searching for application SCC/0045/23SE on the Suffolk County Council Planning Portal

Cllr Bennett, whose Clare ward includes Withersfield, said: “The community rightly have concerns about this application and I will be making strong representations to to the planning committee that this is the wrong place for an aerobic digester.

“Of course we must look at ways of generating energy in this country but it cannot be at such a detriment to the local community.”

Cllr Mason, whose Haverhill’s Cangle ward adjoins the site of the proposed plant, added: “The proposed development would result in the loss of perfectly good arable land.

“This location will certainly put additional transport movement pressures on the already busy A1307 and surrounding road infrastructure.

“The site will blight the landscape and it is unacceptable if there is any chance of pollutants entering the Stour Brook or odour from the process effecting the wellbeing of the nearby communities.

“Any perceived environmental gains this site proposes through the creation of renewable energy does not outweigh the issues and understandable concern expressed by so many residents in the district I represent at county.”

The concerns raised by the councillors’, as well as issues such as the increased risk of flooding to the land near Spring Grove Farm, have previously been voiced by Muck Off Acorn, a campaign group formed to oppose the proposal, as well as Withersfield Parish Council.

Those potential pitfalls of the plant have previously been countered by Acorn Bioenergy and the planning statement issued as part of the application provided more details.

It says: “The proposed AD facility would produce biomethane which would be used to heat homes and fuel vehicles.

“The proposed development would provide enough green gas to meet the heating demand of 7,650 UK households (based on 14.1 MWh/y per household).

“In comparison with standard UK grid emissions, the biomethane produced by the AD facility would have an equivalent saving of over 31,000 tonnes of CO₂ each year, equivalent to taking almost 21,000 cars off the road.

“Energy resilience and self-sufficiency in energy, especially gas, is increasingly important in these times of rapidly rising fuel prices and uncertainty over imported energy.

“The production of biomethane would be in line with local and national targets for reducing CO₂ emissions and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, whilst also contributing to fuel self sufficiency.

“The solid and liquid digestate output from the AD facility would be spread on surrounding farmland in place of artificial fertilisers, thereby reducing the reliance on imported fertiliser.

“In summary, the proposed development is considered to provide a sustainable means of generating low carbon, renewable power, CO₂ and fertiliser whilst supporting the resilience of the local rural economy.

“Whilst arable land within the site would be lost, significant biodiversity net gain is achieved, which would be provided by strengthening the existing native planting, the creation of wildflower meadows and new tree planting along the route of the access road.”