Shailesh Vara, Member of Parliament for North West Cambridgeshire, is urging Cambridgeshire County Council to extend the public consultation for an Anaerobic Digestion (AD) Plant which has been proposed close to Stanground, Peterborough.

Mr Vara, along with Stanground East Councillor, Chris Harper, is opposing the proposal which could see the AD plant situated only 250 metres away from homes and in close proximity to both a primary school and nursery. Moreover, Mr Vara and Cllr Harper feel that the additional pressure which would be placed on Toll Farm Road by heavy vehicle movements to and from the plant would exacerbate an already congested junction.

The consultation for the Application, proposed by Envitec Biogas Ventures Ltd, is due to expire today and it is felt that the advertising for the application, via flyers on lamp posts, has been too limited bearing in mind the scale of the proposal. Mr Vara and Cllr Harper are therefore seeking for the consultation to be extended.

Mr Vara said:

“This is a major planning application and it is very important that local residents have the opportunity to make their views known. The siting of this proposal is clearly inappropriate and given the technical nature of the application, it is vital that proper time is made available so that local residents can make their views known. I very much hope that the Council will review this matter and provide local people with more time to express their concerns.”

Cllr Chris Harper commented: -

“We as local residents are all very worried about this planning application on our doorsteps. Having researched Anaerobic Digestion plants, problems include odour, noise, bio-aerosol emissions and increased traffic flows. This major site would be only 250 metres from homes in Stanground East and would also be close to a primary school and children’s nursery. I would encourage as many local residents as possible to have their say on this very important application.”