RESUBMITTED plans to build a large gas fired power station have met with an angry reaction.
The location proposed for the controversial power station is in open countryside and near ancient woodland alongside the A46 and Croft Lane in the parish of Haselor near Temple Grafton.
The plans have been re-submitted following their withdrawal last year when planning permission was refused by Stratford District Council.
Alcester councillor Mark Cargill said: “This is obviously very distressing for residents who along with their councillors, successfully fought off the previous application.
“There is no justification for building such a power station in the open countryside.
“It’s not as if we, as a district, have not helped the country’s power supply issue by granting permission for an environmentally-friendly 50 mW solar power farm at Drayton five miles away.
“That facility uses battery storage to feed power into the grid during peak times, similar to what is proposed here, although this proposal will pollute the countryside.
“It is obvious that this power station is not needed here. We should not even be considering such a demonstrably environmentally unfriendly facility.
“There will be noise pollution which will inevitably travel significant distances across the open countryside and air pollution from burning fossil fuels. This is wrong on many levels.”
Kinwarton councillor Gill Forman was equally as angry.
She said: “The previous application was refused permission by the planning authority based on the environmental harm it would have on this lovely area.
“The applicants and landowner are proposing to destroy excellent arable land and harming ancient woodland in a designated special landscape area just for profit.
“Worse, they are proposing a gas fired power station, burning fossil fuels something we are all being told not to do. There was no good reason for a power station here last year and there is still no good reason for it now.”
The application calls for the development of a standby gas powered generation facility, incorporating access road, security and noise reducing fencing, gas generators, and landscaping.
The application has been submitted for behalf of Enso Ltd which says it offers ‘energy solutions for today and tomorrow’.
