HWT Concerns over a Proposed Mega Anaerobic Digester in Herefordshire

Application for a Mega Anaerobic Digester in Herefordshire – Some Concerns

Hundreds of Citizen scientists in Herefordshire, Monmouthshire and Powys have spent a lot of time researching one of the big problems that we have on the Wye: over 20 million chickens in the catchment producing more manure than the land can absorb. Livestock manure is the leading cause of phosphorus pollution in our area.

Now Avara, the company whose processing plant has prompted the huge growth in chicken numbers, is backing a proposal from applicant Nicholas Leyton, who is Managing Director of STL Energy for a vast new Anaeorobic Digester in Herefordshire that would have the capacity to take most (if not all) of the chicken manure in the catchment, use it to create energy and strip out the phosphate from the digestate at the end.

HWT welcome the fact that the poultry industry is acknowledging that their gigantic pile of manure has created a gigantic problem for the county’s rivers and is now trying to address the problem – however they have major concerns about their proposed solution.

You can read the planning application here for Whitwick Manor with the planning number: P222728/N

Any objections will be counted/considered right up to the time of Planning Committee meeting BUT instead of sending objections via the planning portal, after the first deadline of November 1st they need to go directly to the specific Planning Officer handling the case, Rebecca Jenman.  rjenman@herefordshire.gov.uk

If your objections are submitted as a member of The Herefordshire Wildlife Trust please Click here to read the Trust’s submitted objection.