Biossence listens to residents over revised application

Biossence is to submit a number of amendments to its planning application for a waste treatment and energy recovery facility at Hooton Park, Eastham.

The amendments do not affect the technical or operational aspects of the plant, but take into account issues raised by local residents in advance of planning permission being approved in January.

“We have already satisfied the planners as to the validity of our application in terms of the suitability of the plant at this location, and these amendments are designed to address some of the concerns that were expressed at the time of our original application,” said Dr Ralf Trottnow, Managing Director.

The plant will be able to process up to 400,000 tonnes of waste a year using non-incineration technologies and be a source of more than 20MW of genuinely renewable energy.

Among the amendments is a significant junction alteration which will improve safety for vehicles entering the site as traffic lights will govern a right turn into the plant via North Road. There will be also be no right turn into North Road for vehicles exiting the site and traffic will be directed away from Eastham Village towards the motorway.

The height of the plant buildings is to be lowered by about three metres, further reducing its visual impact, and the whole operation will now be completely contained within a single building.

These changes will be contained within a revised planning application which is to be submitted to Wirral Council.

“We have listened to what was said at the time of our planning application and are staying true to our pledge that we intend to be a good neighbour,” said Managing Director Dr Ralf Trottnow.

Since obtaining planning permission, the company has also now signed an option for using the Manchester Ship Canal berth close to the plant to unload barges carrying waste containers.

“We didn’t want to move with this before we had planning permission in place as we didn’t want to appear as if we were jumping the gun,” explained Dr Trottnow

Biossence is also planning to introduce a system where groups wishing to visit the plant do so by prior arrangement, rather than having a permanently open visitor centre.

“We want to be able to show off our process and demonstrate the good work of the plant, but we have taken into account fears that large numbers may turn up to a visitor centre and then have to be evacuated if there is an emergency at a nearby facility.

“We will still provide tours to groups that would like to book with us, but we will have control over the numbers accessing the site at any one time,” Dr Trottnow said.

Biossence will continue its consultation with local residents by issuing the fourth edition of its Hooton Park Reporter newsletter outlining these planning application amendments.