Campaigners in power struggle to block straw-burning plant

Campaigners thought they had won their battle against the development at Gameslack Farm, between Wetwang and Fimber, near Driffield, when planning permission was refused in November.

That followed a meeting on July 1 when councillors voted nine to six in favour of the proposals.

Now, following a High Court challenge over a separate development, the proposals are coming back before councillors tomorrow – with officers recommending approval of the plans, subject to a legal agreement.

The largely straw-burning plant is earmarked for a site at Gameslack Farm, a former turkey farm.

To accommodate it, some of the farm buildings will be demolished and 310,000 tonnes of chalk dug out, for use as aggregate.

Objectors, including Fimber Parish Council, say the landscape will be degraded by chalk extraction and industrialisation.

The plant is expected to export 12MW to the National Grid, but one of the major problems is that there is no end user for the heat it would also produce.

Martyn Hill, who represents a group of villagers from Fimber and Wetwang, said residents had found the process "traumatic".

He said: "The Government has said we live in a Big Society where local people are supposed to be making local decisions.

"That was reflected by the committee on November 4 which we are eternally grateful for.

"We just want them to understand there's no need to change the decision that was made on November 4."

"It is right in the middle of a landscape of extremely high value. It is a beautiful dale.

"Nobody is against green energy but this is the wrong plant in the wrong place.

"The councillors on November 4 quite rightly voted to reject it based on visual amenity," he added.

Andrew McCormack, who lives in Wetwang about a mile from the site and chairs the opposition group, said they had only heard about the planning meeting last Wednesday and were trying to encourage as many people to turn up to the session at Beverley as possible.

He said: "There is overwhelming public opposition and we trust that the planning committee will uphold its decision to reject the application."

The proposed plant would mainly burn straw from the surrounding area, but can also use up to 30 per cent of other types of fuels including wood chip, coppice or miscanthus, a subtropical grass trialled in Europe as a biofuel since the 1980s.

"It is set to create 10 jobs, with a further 40 from logistics and feedstock procurement.

East Yorkshire Power Ltd say the development is needed to help the region meet its green energy targets, adding "these targets are set as a minimum and Government would expect these targets to be exceeded."

In the application they state: "Whilst the proposal would have effects locally, these are not significant in the context of the type and nature of this proposal and the landscape is capable of accommodating this proposal.

"Taking these matters into consideration, the substantial benefits of this proposal outweighs the adverse effects locally."

Planners say new conditions have been provided to "ensure that the development can take place in a manner that respects both residential amenity and the wider environment."

The High Court action was instigated by Cala Homes after Communities Secretary Eric Pickles announced that regional spatial strategies were to be scrapped, a move which threatened housebuilding schemes across the country.

In November the High Court ruled that the Minister's decision was unlawful, but a final position isn't yet clear.