Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to planning application 22/1525/EIS Land At Seal Sands, Billingham.

Planning permission was sought for the erection of an energy recovery facility and associated infrastructure on Land at Seal Sands.

Permission was given for the erection of a 24MW energy facility including gasification technology on the 29th April 2013 (Application 12/2766/EIS). Work had commenced on site and the permission was therefore extant. The extant consent would process 175,000 tonnes of refuse derived fuel (RDF) annually to operate. The proposed development would require up to 240,000 tonnes of RDF annually to operate.

National and Local Policy documents and guidance had been reviewed and it was considered that the proposed development would assist in meeting the urgent need for renewable, sustainable, low carbon energy generation together with moving waste up the waste hierarchy and obtaining value from waste that would otherwise be exported for use or landfilled. In terms of social and economic benefits the development would create a significant investment with a value of over £500m, up to 200 jobs in the construction phase and up to 35 total full-time equivalent permanent jobs directly employed.

The consultees that had been notified and the comments that had been received were detailed within the main report.

Neighbours were notified and the comments received were detailed within the main report.

The planning policies and material planning considerations that were relevant to the consideration of the application were contained within the main report.

The Planning Offices report concluded that the Local Planning Authority had evaluated the Environmental Statement to ensure it addressed all of the relevant environmental issues and the information was presented accurately, clearly and systematically. The Local Planning Authority was satisfied that it had in its possession all relevant environmental information about the likely significant environmental effects of the project before it made its decision whether to grant planning permission.

In conclusion, it was considered the proposals did not give rise to any major concerns in terms of conflict with local planning policy and met national policy requirements.

There was no issue to suggest that the development would have a significant impact on ecology or traffic and transport. Other residual matters had also been examined and though a number of conditions would need to be imposed to properly control the development and its future operation, the proposal was considered acceptable.

In summary there were no sustainable land use planning reasons for resisting the development and it was recommended that the Members be minded to  approve the application with conditions for the reasons as specified within the main report with the final decision delegated to the Planning Services Manager once Natural England approved the appropriate assessment.

The Applicants Agent attended the meeting and was given the opportunity to make representation. Their comments could be summarised as follows:

. The application site was part of ‘Teesside Geen Energy Park Ltd’ and would be developed on a brown field site.

. It was recognised that the site would incorporate techniques for carbon capture using  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5