We fully understand that there will be questions regarding the plans put forward, and we believe (from those received) that local residents’ concerns fall generally into four main categories – odour, noise, traffic and possible emissions/pollution.
Odour/dust – will there be any smell or dust coming from this site?
No, the facility will have strict processes in place to prevent any odour and dust. Deliveries will use fully sealed HGVs and sprays will immediately dampen any possible dust tracked into the site during construction. The building will have fast roller shutter doors, will operate at negative pressure and will also incorporate advanced management systems so that odours are fully retained within the building and neutralised if they arise.
Noise – will the plant be very noisy?
No, the noise assessment submitted as part of the planning application demonstrates that with all the appropriate measures in place, local residents will not be affected by noise from the facility. All mechanical processes will be housed within the building and fitted with dampeners and silencers to mitigate noise.
Traffic – will local traffic now increase because of the facility?
We anticipate up to 11 vehicles (a total of 22 movements in and out) and nine cars (18 movements) daily during work hours only (Mon-Fri/9am-5pm). On average, there will be two HGV movements (one vehicle in and out) and no car movements during peak hours each week day. The site is easily accessible by public transport and cycling, and there are planned cycle spaces and a parking bay reserved solely for car share employees. Wagons will access Hownsgill Park from the A692 roundabout and will not drive through residential areas.
Emissions will be very tightly controlled to comply with strict regulations/criteria under an Environmental Permit. This will ensure local air quality is not adversely affected. The most advanced, up-to-date, proven technologies will form part of the processing systems so that the facility meets stringent emission limits. Furthermore, the latest safety controls designed to immediately shut down the plant if emissions exceed the permitted levels will also be used.
Emissions – will this cause any pollution and how safe will air quality levels be?
As mentioned, advanced waste management systems and state-of-the-art automated technologies will be used throughout the site to ensure all odour, noise and pollution concerns are managed and eliminated. Robust assessments have already been undertaken as part of the planning application covering these areas, proving that emissions will be below (ie lower than) the permitted levels allowed. Live emissions and monitoring data will also be available online once the site is active so that residents can track performance levels at any time day or night.
What is therefore in place to deal with these issues?
Yes. It is a very proven, safe and clean technology that has been widely used across the UK and Europe for decades (our technology provider, HoST, has several, highly successful operational plants currently operating to very stringent emission limits).
Is the technology to be used proven?
Who is/are behind the plans?
Project Genesis Ltd (PGL) in partnership with HoST and Bio Global Industries. PGL was formed after the closure of Consett Steel Works to redevelop the redundant land and benefit the local community. So far, it has levered in approximately £200 million of investment into the local economy and will continue doing so through future projects.
The proposed development will be located at Hownsgill Industrial Park, an active industrial site which is home to other industrial users and manufacturers (eg Greencore, Symingtons, JT Dove and Go-Ahead Group). This non-residential location is a key employment site earmarked for development, and ensures that the facility can deliver the maximum energy and heat required by nearby users whilst protecting the amenity of the local community.
Why has this specific location been chosen?
Yes. The project is part of a much wider regeneration masterplan for Consett and the surrounding area, and could underpin other projects including shops, quality housing, a care village and a new hospital and healthcare facility. It will provide sustainable, low-carbon energy and heat for local residents, businesses and the wider community.
It will also provide much-needed investment to install new infrastructure, enabling the development of the consented 5MW solar farm on the Hownsgill site supplying power during peak demand. Furthermore, there are also plans for an electric vehicle charging hub using low-cost power. It is much needed to reduce the risk of future outages given that there is now a much greater demand for low carbon power from communities, with higher pressures being placed on the local network due to (for example) the use of home car battery charging points.
The level of investment in cleaner, renewable energy is estimated in excess of £30 million and improves the green credentials of the regeneration of the area.
Is it a good thing for Consett?
It is classed as Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) and is commercial and industrial waste that is left following the removal of all recyclable and hazardous materials. It is locally collected (North West Durham area), shredded at another facility elsewhere and made into fully contained ‘bales’ before being transported to the Hownsgill site in sealed HGV vehicles. No materials segregated for recycling will be processed by the plant.
Please note: all household domestic waste (ie ‘black bag’/green bins) collected by County Durham Council is currently taken to a large-scale, energy from waste (EFW) facility at Billingham, Teesside. Our facility will provide the same service to local business allowing the community benefit from increased job security, an the heat and electricity that is generated by the plant.
What fuel will be used and where is it from?
There is a significant, global climate emergency and communities, regardless of location, cannot continue to turn a blind eye and bury waste in landfill to erode for years to come. It is a very serious problem. Landfill generates significant greenhouse gases and utilises valuable land, therefore it’s very rapidly becoming the last option. This will ensure that a more meaningful value (ie green energy) is generated from local waste products rather than burying it in the ground and storing the problem for future generations.
The proposed facility complies with and supports Durham County Council’s policy regarding waste management and meets an identified need for new waste management capacity.
Why can’t this waste just go to landfill?
Reduced energy bills: the plan is to create a new, customer-first ‘community energy supplier’ to offer locally-generated clean energy, helping residents and businesses to reduce utility costs. Other similar projects have seen electricity bills reduced by up to 24% and we believe that Consett residents could save approximately £400 per year on household bills (depending upon usage) as a direct result of Hownsgill Energy Centre. Ensuring that local residents can afford to ‘keep the lights on’ and not fall into fuel poverty is a key priority.
Local economy/new job opportunities: with less power outages and cheaper, cleaner energy, Consett will be an attractive place to live and work. This will encourage inward investment and regeneration through improved business competitiveness and could increase job opportunities for the area. We anticipate that the scheme could deliver up to 70 new jobs during the construction commissioning period, and 35 new green jobs (operations, maintenance, support and supply chain) over the next five years. Furthermore, the new ‘community energy supplier’ will create additional employment opportunities, anticipating approximately 15 new jobs in the first year. Delivery partner, Fusion for Business Ltd (a local business energy consultancy), will also create an estimated 20 new positions to support activities.
Tackling climate change locally: energy facilities, like the one proposed here, allow us to tackle climate change at a ‘grass-roots’ community level, meaning a much cleaner, greener and healthier future for those living and working in Consett. We have the chance to be at the forefront of the green recovery agenda, using locally-generated waste materials to generate our own heat and power.
As a local resident, what benefits will I see, if any?
We believe that local community benefits fall mainly into three categories:
The building will be located to the west of the existing industrial buildings on the Hownsgill industrial site so will be obscured from view for the most part from residential areas to the west (ie Chequers and Templetown). The stack will be visible to residents living at the front of the Chequers estate to the west of Knitsley Lane. Please see viewpoint images on this website.
I live on the Chequers Estate. Will I see this building from my house?
A SELECTION OF IN-BOUND ENQUIRIES received via the website have included:
What evidence is there to support the need for an energy to waste facility in the Consett area? Derwentside currently produces over 100,000 tonnes of residual C&I waste per annum on top of what Durham County Council currently deals with in the area. The Durham Local Plan recognises that the area has a shortfall in waste management services against the waste it produces, with a large quantity of material generated taken elsewhere or exported abroad. This is unsustainable. The need for an energy facility to facilitate growth was realised a number of years ago and has been included in the area masterplan. The location is guided by the Durham Local Plan which requires developments that deal with waste and energy to be located on industrial premises surrounded by similar uses.
What proof is there that there’ll be no health implications for residents? The residual emissions from the facility’s main chimney stack will be predominantly water vapour and carbon dioxide, which are harmless, and other compounds emitted in very small quantities high above ground level so to rapidly disperse into the atmosphere - as such, very little emissions reach the ground. Furthermore, many of the minor compounds emitted are common to other forms of (natural and man-made) activities including, for example, wood stoves, barbecues, bonfires and traffic, already existing in the atmosphere day-to-day. The facility will therefore not result in the inhalation of anything not already present in the air we breathe, and its contribution to the air for local residents will be exceedingly small such that it will not significantly contribute to any health effects.
Why is the plant being considered near to countryside and the heritage walk? The facility is located on an existing industrial estate already designated for future industrial development. Ecological/wildlife surveys and assessments have been carried out as part of this application process, and a full assessment of air quality impact has been carried out which also considered ecological designations and habitats. This confirmed that the facility will not have a detrimental impact on these designations and will not prejudice Consett's green credentials. Photos have been taken and the plant added to help visualise the plant in its context (to scale), and the majority of locations (as requested by Durham County Council) will have no or minor glimpse views of the plant if built.
It states producing ‘local power for local residents’ and the equivalent of 8,000 homes. How would these homes be selected? A community energy company will be established once the plant is operational and producing power, and like any other energy provider operating in the open market, it will be the consumer’s/homeowner’s own choice as to whether they opt to purchase energy from it or choose to go with another supplier. There therefore won’t be any mechanism to be selected, join or subscribe to it so to speak as it will operate like other energy companies, only based locally in County Durham and passing on cost-saving efficiencies to local residents.
Can you guarantee that there will be no risk to the health of local residents from this waste facility if it were to go ahead? Yes we can. The energy from waste process is fully controlled and monitored rigorously at all times. Sensors in the chimney stack accurately record and feed live data back to the Environment Agency 24 hours a day, and in the event of any such anomaly (of any kind), the plant will instantly and automatically shut down at that point.
I would be interested in any positions that become available. Can you please advise how to apply? The proposed facility is still in the planning application stages however any job opportunities will be posted on the website as and when they become available.
We welcome any questions or queries that you may have regarding this project, therefore please feel free to drop us a line at info@hownsgillenergycentre.co.uk.