The notorious crossroads near the New Inn at St Owen's Cross is in the spotlight again as members of the Herefordshire Council Planning Committee considers an application to install an anaerobic digester at Little Pengethley Farm, Peterstow today, Wednesday, January 9th. Planning officers have recommended the application, for a digester producing bio-gas, to be used to generate power and heat from a combination of poultry litter, vegetable waste and energy crops, for approval. This application is a resubmission of a similar proposal which was withdrawn on November 3rd.

The Environment Agency would be the key regulator for this plant through the mechanism of an Environmental Permit, not the planning system. The Agency has no objections and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) would not be required because the operational area does not exceed the threshold; the site is not within a 'sensitive area', and the specification falls well below the indicative output criteria of 50MW.

Council officers report that detailed discussions and negotiations have taken place with the applicant, the appointed agent, and consultees in order to find positive solutions to many of the concerns arising from this application. This has taken time, and has resulted in further submissions and consultation periods within which members of the public have been able to make further comments.

For the rest of this story please see this week's Ross Gazette.