GAS PEAKING PLANT PLANS APPEALED

PREVIOUS plans to build a 7.5mw gas peaking generation plant on land at Kingdom Avenue in Westbury’s Northacre Industrial Park have been appealed by the applicant, despite their new plans (which could reduce emissions, compared to the previous application) already being approved.

Wiltshire Council initially rejected Eclipse Power Generation Ltd’s (EPGL) plans on the grounds that it would worsen air quality, however following the plans being amended to increase the efficiency of the gas engines, which the applicant says could have reduced emissions by 30%, the application was approved by the unitary authority last year.

Westbury town councillors had previously said they were “bitterly disappointed” with the decision by Wiltshire Council to approve the plans, describing them as “almost identical” to the proposal rejected by the unitary authority previously.

Despite getting the go-ahead from Wiltshire Council for the amended plans, the applicant has now appealed against the refusal of their previous plans and residents can comment on this by using the online appeal service – found on the appeals area of the Wiltshire Council planning portal.

The appeal was discussed by Westbury Town Council at a meeting of the highways, planning, and development committee on Monday 20th March. Cllr Matthew Dean questioned why the applicant has appealed their previous, plans despite receiving planning approval for the latest application.

“The applicant has already managed to get a revised planning application approved for this site, and that was approved on the basis that they could reduce the impact of air quality by 30% and that it would be more environmentally friendly,” said cllr Dean. “It was essentially a better application, and the committee approved it on that basis.

“My concern now, is that for some strange reason, the applicant has reverted to appealing the original application. It was an important point that was acknowledged by all parties that it was vital to reduce the impacts on air quality- reverting to the previous application seems backward. The reason could be that this proposal may not be as good for the environment, but that it would be cheaper for the applicant to build.”

The plans for the Kingdom Avenue plant say it will include an electrical substation, gas kiosk, gas engines, access, CCTV, lighting, and associated works.

Gas-fired peaking plants are power plants designed to balance the fluctuating power requirement in the electricity network and operate during periods of high-level demand or shortfalls for electricity.

You can send your comments to west1@planninginspectorate.gov.uk or Planning Inspectorate, Room 3c, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Bristol BS1 6PN, quoting the Inspectorate reference (APP/Y3940/W/22/3306675). Comments should be received by Tuesday 18th April.