Friday, 4 October 2013

Power plant bid for Swanscombe Site 107: Land at Lower Road, Swanscombe

Site 107: Land at Lower Road, Swanscombe

How the site could look

Site 107

Land at Lower Road, Swanscombe

4.11 This area of land has been put forward as a location for an energy from waste facility. An estimated 20Mw of electricity would be produced from the gasification of non-recyclable, commercial waste consisting of sorted and blended cardboard, paper, waste wood and non-specific biomass material.

Strategic Environmental Assessment Summary

SA- There are no identified access issues to the the site, however, the proposed operation needs to consider the nearby AQMA at Northfleet Industrial Estate. Use of the existing derelict industrial land will help to minimise the impact on the local environment. There are a number of designated nature areas within 1km of the site that need to be considered.

HRA- Given the distances of this facility from European sites it is likely that the only potential impact pathway is if an Energy from Waste facility is brought forward. In that case further assessment will be required in accordance with Environment Agency guidance.

Site Specific Considerations
Natural Environment	SPA, Ramsar, SSSIs, NNR and LWS within 1km but barriers mean they are unlikely to be a significant constraint.
Heritage	Chalk Quarry is likely to have fully removed potential for finding remains.
Highways	If the proposal is granted permission, a contribution should be sought for traffic signal control at the Manor Way/ A226 London Road junction.
Hydrogeology	In Groundwater Source Protection Zone 3 and within Flood Zone 2 and Flood Zone 3.
Type of Waste	Non-recyclable commercial waste in the form of sorted and blended cardboard, paper, waste wood and non-specific biomass.

Conclusion

The site consists of previously developed land. In combination with the other allocated sites, this site will provide sufficient capacity to meet the need for new EfW capacity set out in the MWDF. Sufficient details have been submitted about the proposed development such that it can be demonstrated that the facility will be delivered within a time frame to fit the requirements of the Core Strategy.

Site 107: Land at Lower Road, Swanscombe (Popup full image)

Tuesday, 1 October 2013

Power plant bid for Swanscombe could affect plans for huge Paramount Park... Yes But Only if its Built...

Power plant bid for Swanscombe could affect plans for huge Paramount Park...

by Thom Morris

tmorris@thekmgroup.co.uk

Plans to build a power plant with a 213 foot chimney in Swanscombe are being opposed by Dartford council over fears it will impact on Paramount Park.

Teal Energy has submitted plans for the plant, in Manor Way, that will produce renewable energy from non-recyclable commercial waste.

Dartford council has objected over the "incompatibility" of the idea, which would be built close to the planned Paramount Park scheme.

How the site could look

The 24/7 operation will be housed in two large steel-framed buildings.

The fuel will be received and stored in one building on the northern site, which will be 2,250m2 and 36 feet high.

This will be connected by conveyor to an energy plant housed in the building on the southern site, which will be 65 feet high and be 4,247m2 with a 213 foot chimney.

Once operational, it could produce enough electricity for 45,000 homes as well as powering Paramount Park.

What Paramount Park could look like on the Swanscombe Peninsula

Proposals predict an average of 108 HGV deliveries to the site during a 12-hour period, which runs from 7am until 7pm - with routes including Stanhope Road and Swanscombe High Street.

Teal Energy says in it plans: "Our proposal differs from established energy from waste plans which traditionally have been mass incineration of non-recycled waste.

"We use clean, advanced conversion technology to generate renewable energy by converting residual recyclates, the material left after a recycling process, into an energy rich gas and using this to generate electricity. It is considered to be a virtually carbon neutral and clean technology."

Swanscombe and Greenhithe Town Council has also objected to the application because they are concerned about the environmental impact of the site and the impact of the gasses emitted.

They also object to the application as it will "prejudice the proposals" for theme park on the Swanscombe Peninsula.

Planning officer Sonia Bunn said: "Concern has been raised that the proposal will be detrimental to the proposals for the theme park on Swanscombe Peninsula, but as a planning application has not been submitted for this development yet this cannot specifically be taken into account.

"However, the council's Core Strategy seeks the development of Swanscombe Peninsula to bring about benefits in the area and the current proposal is considered to be prejudicial to this."

The matter will be discussed by Dartford council at a meeting on Thursday night with the ultimate decision being made by Kent County Council at a later date.

The Paramount scheme will see the third-largest theme park in the world, built on the Swanscombe peninsula with Paramount Pictures supporting it.

If planning permission is approved, it is claimed there will be 17,000 jobs on the site with a further 10,000 jobs created to meet the demands of the park.

Fears were announced during consultation for a new lower Thames crossing which could go straight through the park site.

It was revealed during the public consultation that option B for a crossing was putting investors off.

Dartford council leader Jeremy Kite said: "We are meeting experienced and highly credible investors from the UK and overseas to talk about the great opportunities here and almost the first question they now ask is why the government is even thinking about a crossing at the Swanscombe peninsula."

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