Planning application for anaerobic digester plant at Penans Farm, Grampound, finally approved

In summer 2016, Qila Energy submitted a planning application for a gas grid entry unit on land at Penans Farm near Grampound. The planning application was approved and the unit was installed in late 2016.

It was always intended that this would be the first phase of a 2-phase project. The second phases is to install an anaerobic digester plant. Anaerobic digestion is a renewable energy technology that uses agricultural products including slurry to produce an organic bio-fertiliser and methane gas that can be injected into the national gas grid.

The planning application was submitted in the middle of 2017 for this second phase. The application reference number is PA17/02955. All the planning documents are available to view online. It has, unfortunately, taken a long time to agree all the conditions associated with the proposal including making a contribution towards the preservation of the Grade 2 starred Penans Farm House. All conditions were finally approved in September 2018 and the application has now been approved.

Further pre-start conditions need to be complied with such as construction of a suitable road access from the A390. This is being dealt with by Cornwall Council Highways and Cormac Contracting. Hopefully, construction of the complete plant will start early in the new year.

October 2018