LOCAL councillors have welcomed news that developers behind plans to build a gas peaking plant in the town have withdrawn their appeal, but a gas plant will still be built against the wishes of the local community.
Eclipse Power Generation Ltd (EPGL) had originally submitted plans to Wiltshire Council for a 7.5mw gas peaking generation plant to be built on land at Kingdom Avenue in Westbury’s Northacre Industrial Park. These plans were rejected by the council who said it would worsen air quality. However, EPGL then submitted amended plans to increase the efficiency of the gas engines, which they say could reduce emissions by 30%. These plans were approved by Wiltshire Council last year.
Following the approval of the more environmentally friendly plans, the applicant then appealed against the refusal of their previous plans. Last month, EPGL withdrew their appeal, but Wiltshire councillors, Carole and Gordon King, who represent Westbury, say that a gas plant will still be built against the wishes of the local community.
In a joint statement, cllr Carole King and cllr Gordon King said, “We have welcomed with surprise the somewhat pyrrhic victory in Eclipse Power in withdrawing its appeal and recognise with regret that a lesser power plant has been approved and will be built against the wishes of our community.
“It represents a loss of employment and car parking space and will contribute to coalescence of emissions in a place where there are already five environment agency-granted industrial emission permits and is located far too close to Westbury’s residential precincts.
“We very much regret that colleague planning committee members failed to take these matters sufficiently into account when granting permission, or show sufficient concern for its potential impact on public health. Though these power plants do have benefit in balancing the fluctuations of power supply, they should really be sited in locations that are remote from residential areas.”
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.
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.
Pictured: Site plans for the gas plant.
