Northamptonshire County Council on Tuesday (20 November), approved plans submitted by renewable energy supplier, Origin Renewable Energy, to build an energy-from-waste (EfW) gasification plant at a site in Desborough.

The combined heat and power (CHP) facility, which reportedly has the capacity to deal with 96,000 tonnes of waste per annum, will generate up to 8 megawatts (MW) of electricity and has the capacity to generate up to 32MW of combined electricity, heat and stream energy. However, to date, successful heat transfer from CHPs have been rare due to the disruption caused in laying adequate pipe networks.

Subject to the granting of an environmental permit by the Environment Agency (EA), construction of the £60 million CHP facility will commence in 2013, with an expected completion date of 2015.

The plant, supplied by EfW specialists ENERGOS, takes non-recyclable household and business waste and converts it into power and has the potential to produce heat, which could potentially be supplied as a ‘cost effective alternative’ to gas to the local community.

Plans had been initially submitted in July 2012, but a ‘Stop the Desborough Incinerator’ petition against the proposal signed by 2,500 opponents forced a planning committee discussion. The protestors argued that the facility could pose a significant health risk to the local community.

A statement on the group’s facebook page, said: ‘We where not shocked by the outcome as looking at past documented proposals, this is basically the norm…[we’re] just a little surprised that a 3000 strong petition plus near on 400 letters from individuals was basically brushed to the side.’

‘Desborough today has made a united effort in order to try to protect our town and villages, your health and your amenity. But we all need to stand up and be counted and make the 'Democratic System' work in our favor [sic].’

In addition to a large central building, boilers, turbine hall substation and visitor centre, the facility situated in Magnetic Park, less than a mile from the town, would feature a 53 metre tall chimneystack.

Speaking to the BBC, campaigner Gary White said: "All of the measures put in place by the Environment Agency would only take effect after something has happened, which would be too late for Desborough.

“People are scared to death. Unless someone can guarantee the health all of the residents in the area I won't be happy.”

In response to the concerns of residents, Managing Director of Origin Renewable Energy, Adam Buxton, said: "As part of the planning application, we have had to produce an environmental impact assessment which takes into account the human health risks.

"We have also set up a community liaison group and have taken many of the residents to a similar plant in Norway just to ease concerns. We have to adhere to strict rules set by Europe.

“We are sympathetic to people’s concerns but we can’t please everyone.”

Origin Renewable Energy was first established in 2008 and aims to ‘deliver localized renewable energy capacity to new development in the UK’.

Read more about Origin’s proposals