DAVYHULME INCINERATOR FUTURE IN DOUBT
Plans to build a 20 MW, biomass-fuelled, heat and power plant in Davyhulme, Greater Manchester appear to have failed. Local campaigners the Breathe Clean Air Group, have unearthed documentation showing that the Peel Group’s biomass incinerator will now not be built.
In an up-date statement from the Breathe Clean Air Group, Chairman Pete Kilvert says “After eight years of opposing this development, we are delighted at its demise. The incinerator would have burnt waste wood and other waste, in a built-up location, using out-dated technology and flawed modelling, which would have resulted in toxic emissions and serious ill-health impacts.”
The group discovered that Peel Energy had surrendered the plant’s Environmental Permit on 9th August 2017. They contacted Peel Energy and received the following statement from Managing Director Mr Muir Miller:
“We have temporarily surrendered the licence (Environmental Permit) and continue to review the current and emerging government energy policies. Peel Energy remain committed to see energy generation on this site given the attributes the site possesses for such an investment. When we make further decisions we will update the website page.”
A letter that BCAG has received from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), states:
“The Government has announced that it will conduct a cross-departmental review into the role of biomass in future policy for low carbon electricity and heat, focussing on the air quality impacts. The proposed way forward will be set out in the final Clean Air Strategy, which will be released later this year.”
BCAG has responded to this consultation, stressing the serious ill-health impacts of burning biomass.
National campaign group Biofuelwatch has added:
“The Government has announced changes to rules for renewable electricity subsidies, which we believe will all but stop the expansion of biomass burning for electricity in the UK. We expect the new rules to put an end to several plans for (building) new biomass power stations across the UK, such as the Peel Energy waste wood incinerator in Trafford, which local residents have been fighting to stop for many years.”
“The future of the Peel site alongside the Manchester Ship Canal in Davyhulme is still in doubt,” added BCAG Chairman Pete Kilvert, “but we remain hopeful that Peel’s proposal to build a biomass-fuelled power plant have been ended.”