Council concern over gas management in landfill plan
Plans to extend the working life of gas extraction equipment at a landfill could affect residents on a newly-approved housing estate, councillors say.
The facility, which generates electricity from naturally-occurring gas at Granville Landfill, Redhill, Telford, previously had permission for 25 years, but Potters Midlands Ltd has applied to keep it there “for at least the operational life” of the refuse site, and says it cannot set an end date at the moment.
In its reply, Donnington and Muxton Parish Council noted that, in March this year, 450 homes were approved near the junction of Redhill Way and the A5, and says “fumes and noise” from the continued use of the facility could impact on residents.
However, they also expressed concern that, if permission to extend its lifespan were refused, the company could dismantle the equipment, leaving the gas unmanaged.
Members agreed to issue a “call-in” notice, requesting that the application be determined in a public meeting of the Telford & Wrekin Planning Committee, rather than by the local authority’s planning officers.
In a statement submitted on behalf of Potters, planning agent Georgina Daintith of Walsingham Planning writes: “This application is made to extend the time on the landfill gas electricity generation facility as the landfill site remains operational and continues to emit naturally-occurring landfill gas which requires management.”
She says “a precise timeline cannot be agreed at this stage”, and proposes that the existing consent is reworded so extraction can continue as long as the site itself retains planning permission.
“The consequence of not granting an extension of time would mean the effective and efficient control mechanism for the landfill gas will be removed and naturally-occurring gases would escape via the landfill vents to the surface and into the atmosphere,” she adds, saying this would be a “significant waste” of the resource.
Donnington and Muxton Parish Council’s Planning Committee discussed Potters’ proposal when it met on Monday, August 2.
The resulting statement, submitted to Telford and Wrekin Council, says: “Councillors were concerned about the fumes and noise that would emanate from the site and turbine required and the effect this would have on adjoining neighbours and the new development and school currently being built in close proximity to the site.
“Upon detailed inspection of the application and previous history of applications for this site councillors were concerned that the applicant plans to remove the existing landfill gas extraction system and electricity generating plant at the end of their contract, should this application be refused. The responsibility for the management and control of the methane gas created at this would then become the responsibility of others.”
It explains that councillors resolved to object as they were “not satisfied the plan is to simply extend the operating life of the existing landfill gas management and energy generation facility, but to remove it at the end of their contract if this application is not granted”.
