A controversial move to set land aside for a £5 million biomass plant in south Shropshire has prompted a storm of protest.

Environmental campaigners and civic leaders hoped the land at Bishop’s Castle Business Park could be transformed into a 2.5 acre community farm for use by local people.

But Shropshire Council’s cabinet instead provisionally accepted a proposal to build a £5 million biomass centre on the site during a confidential discussion at a meeting on Tuesday.

A new site must be found for the farm and, although allotments on the site are expected to be retained as part of the biomass development, town mayor Keith Pinches said the decision was ‘unbelievable’ and a ‘big disappointment’.

Objections

The biomass plant has divided opinion in the town in recent years and successfully passed through an official planning inquiry last summer despite hundreds of objections.

Once built, the plant will use wood chip and energy crops to create 2.5MW of power. A heat main from the plant will serve local schools, the leisure centre, church and industrial estates.

Chris Day, consultant to Bishop’s Castle Biomass Power, said the company was pleased with Shropshire council’s decision.

But Councillor Pinches, said: “It’s not what we wanted to hear — it’s unbelievable and it’s a big disappointment. We have fought hard to stop this and we thought Shropshire Council would be in favour of stopping it, but they have come to a different conclusion.

“I think we are a test case to see if a biomass plant can be built, as similar plants have been refused elsewhere.”

Neil Hird, of Bishop’s Castle Community Land Trust which developed the community farm proposal, said: “I’m bitterly disappointed — a community farm would have been a very good project. But it means we will have to look elsewhere.”

Nick Taylor, assistant director strategy and development, said: “Cabinet agreed to provisionally accept the offer from the Bishop’s Castle Biomass Power company, and to explore with them and Bishop’s Castle Town Council how the town council’s aspirations can be accommodated, including retention of the existing allotments.”

By Peter Kitchen