Bishop's Castle biomass plant plans scrapped

Controversial plans to build a £5 million biomass plant in Bishop's Castle have been scrapped, it was revealed today.

The scheme, which was earmarked for land at Bishop's Castle Business Park, sparked hundreds of objections.

The deal came to a halt after Shropshire Council bosses failed to agree terms for the sale of the land with the developers Bishop's Castle Biomass Power Ltd. The news today will delight its hundreds of opponents.

A statement from Shropshire Council today said: "Land at Bishop's Castle Business Park previously earmarked for a biomass energy plant has been withdrawn from the market after Shropshire Council was unable to agree terms with the company involved.

"Shropshire Council and Bishop's Castle Biomass Power Ltd have been unable to agree terms for the sale, and options will now be considered for the future use of the land.

"The council agreed to sell the land in October 2010, and planning permission was granted for a biomass plant on the site in September 2009 following a planning inquiry.

"However, following more than a year of negotiations between the council and Bishop's Castle Biomass Power Ltd, the sale will now not go ahead, meaning that the biomass plant will not be built on the site."

Shropshire Council leader Keith Barrow is now speaking to Bishop's Castle Town Council to ensure that residents have their say on what the land should be used for in the future.

He said: "Now that the sale is not going ahead, this gives us an opportunity to talk to the town council and local residents about potential alternative uses for the land, and I have already started talking to the town council about potential ways forward."

The biomass plant has divided opinion in the town in recent years and successfully passed through an official planning inquiry in summer 2009 despite hundreds of objections.

The plant was designed to use wood chip and energy crops to create 2.5MW of power.

See also:

• Call for Bishop’s Castle biomass plant site sale to be reopened

• Bishop’s Castle councillors fear biomass legal claims

• Bishop’s Castle biomass fight will continue