Our Plans - What's Changed?
We’re consulting on our improved plans over the coming weeks. Please take the time to read our consultation tiles below and share your feedback here.
The improved plans for Astwick Green Energy will maintain or increase all of the project’s benefits while reducing the landscape impacts. This is a plan to benefit the rural economy in West Northamptonshire, supporting local farmers and the environment. The proposals also deliver renewable energy, tackling the Climate Emergency and reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
Having benefited from previous local feedback, we are confident that our forthcoming planning application will overcome many former concerns, and we are committed to improving it further where we can with the help of your input.
1. Hello and Welcome
Acorn Bioenergy has launched a consultation on improved proposal for Astwick Green Energy that retains all of the scheme’s benefits while addressing local concerns.
We would be grateful if you would take a couple of minutes to complete our feedback form to let us know your thoughts on the improved plans.
About us
Acorn Bioenergy is a team of professionals from the engineering, agricultural and energy sectors. The team members at Acorn have decades of experience in developing renewable biomethane gas generation plants across the UK.
We are a business with a sustainable purpose. We exist to help create a zero carbon future by developing and operating renewable energy projects that benefit the environment and improve our energy security.
Acorn Bioenergy is bringing forward sites like Astwick Green Energy across the UK in line with government goals to develop renewable biomethane gas generation plants to accelerate decarbonisation. We’re working to provide 25% of the UK’s biomethane supply. This renewable green gas will heat homes across the country and reduce our dependence on foreign gas supplies.
You can see our project team for Astwick Green Energy here.
2. About the Site
Our site is located on land to the west of the A43 and north of the B4031.
We have chosen this location because there are many nearby farming businesses which can supply feedstock, will have minimal visual impacts on neighbours, and is not at risk of flooding.
Site History
We put forward a previous proposal for such a development on this site in August 2022. Although this received no objections from technical consultees and the Council’s Planning Team recommended its approval, our planning application was refused in December 2023 because of concerns about its scale, height and massing on the local area, and impacts on the local landscape character.
We have listened to this feedback and have changed our plans.
3. How we’ve improved our plans
We are bringing forward an improved proposal that retains all of the scheme’s benefits while addressing local concerns.
Reduced the number of tanks: the original plan included five tanks which have now been reduced to three
More natural fertiliser: we will use improved technology to generate more from fewer inputs.
Reduced the tank heights: the original plan had all five tanks at 16.5m high, now only one is at this height with the other two tanks limited to 9m
Removed vehicles from public roads: 20% of vehicle movements will use farm tracks, eliminating their impacts on roads
More landscape planting: in addition to the planting proposed in the original scheme, we have added extra tree planting along the site’s southeastern boundary
Enhanced wildlife: as well as retaining existing trees our proposals will deliver significant gains to biodiversity
4. Reduced landscape impact
We’ve listened to the feedback from our previous application and taken steps to reduce the impacts of the proposal, with fewer tanks, most of which are lower, minimising the impact on the landscape, but kept all the benefits to the environment and the rural economy.
The buildings at Astwick Green Energy won’t look out of scale from the type of structures, such as barns, often seen on commercial farms.
The below images show how the scheme has changed to significantly reduce the visual impact of the proposals. The red line on the visualisations shows the silhouette of the previous plans to allow for easy comparison with our improved scheme.
View of the site from the east, with the red dashed line showing the scale of the previous plans
View of the site from the west, with the red dashed line showing the scale of the previous plans
Walking near the site
Our site boundary does not include any Public Rights of Way. The updated plans combine the lower building heights and reduced massing with more extensive planting and landscaped bunds, meaning local people will be able to continue countryside walks without unacceptable visual impacts.
5. Maximising the benefits
Through a complete redesign of the scheme, our new proposals maintain or increase all of the benefits for clean energy and the rural economy, but significantly reduce the height and visual impact of the proposals.
Our revised plans include:
Generating enough renewable gas to heat the equivalent of 8,142 households, greater than the number of homes in Brackley.
Decarbonising energy generation and agriculture, essential to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and tackling climate change
Providing a secure and affordable source of energy, and reducing our dependency on imported gas from volatile parts of the world
Providing 15 Full Time Equivalent jobs, with more through the construction process
Supporting 35 further Full Time Equivalent jobs created in the supply chain
Proposed site plan
6. How is Biomethane Gas generated?
Anaerobic digestion is a method of generating renewable energy by breaking down organic material to produce biogas and natural fertiliser. There are currently over 700 operational anaerobic digestion sites in the UK.
Acorn Bioenergy uses agricultural material for our facilities, including break crops from rotations and manure. By using only agricultural material, never food waste, we generate clean energy while avoiding unpleasant odours.
The agricultural material, fed into the facility is broken down by microbes. This produces:
Biomethane, a green fuel which can directly heat homes;
Green CO2, which can be used by industry to replace CO2 derived from fossil fuels;
Natural fertiliser, which will be used on nearby farms, replacing imported artificial products.
7. Site location
Our new plans are designed to ensure safe and sustainable access to the site.
Crucially, local farmers will be contributing our feedstock and taking our natural fertiliser, limiting the miles that delivery vehicles travel on roads. By using our product, farms can reduce the amount of imported artificial fertiliser they use, cutting their environmental and traffic impacts.
Additionally, the green gas produced at Astwick Green Energy can be injected into the gas network at Banbury, further limiting vehicle miles.
If you’re a local farm interested in becoming a supplier, get in touch here.
Vehicle movements
We want to ensure that our operations have minimal impact on local roads. This will include creating an Operational Travel Management Plan that will:
Ensure 20% of vehicle movements use farm tracks, eliminating their impact on roads
Explore options to reduce employee reliance on private cars
Manage traffic movements, especially when crop harvests are at their peak
Include measures to keep local roads clean, such as wheel washing
Create areas for HGVs and drivers to rest on site, keeping them off local roads for extended periods
This will be submitted with our final proposals.
8. Working with the community
Supporting Local Farming
We will work hand-in-hand with the local farming industry, providing local farmers with guaranteed revenue and natural fertiliser.
Astwick Green Energy will take organic material, including crops from rotations and manure, from local farms to feed the plant. The same farmers will benefit by receiving the natural fertiliser produced at the end of the gas generation process. This will reduce the amount of expensive and imported artificial fertiliser that local farm businesses need to buy, improving soil health and storing more carbon.
Creating Jobs
Our plans will also create 15 Full Time Equivalent jobs as well as further roles in construction, and support 35 further jobs through the supply chain. We also welcome interest from local suppliers for Astwick Green Energy - email us at AstwickGreen@quatro-pr.co.uk to register your interest.
Respecting our neighbours
We have designed our proposals to ensure that there are no unacceptable impacts on local people. In addition to landscape improvements, our plans also address, and where possible improve:
Odour – Acorn Bioenergy do not use any of the food waste or sewerage feedstocks that can generate unpleasant odours. Any farmyard manure will be transported in enclosed vehicles and will be kept in an odour-controlled building as soon as it arrives on site. Additionally, all lagoons on site will be covered as is required by regulation.
Transport – Our site has good access to the B4031 and A43. We have carried out extensive transport assessments to make sure we’re not causing problems on the local network. Additionally, 20% of journeys to transport feedstock and natural fertiliser will be made on farm tracks, taking pressure off local roads.
Flooding – The site is not at high risk of flooding and we have prepared a strategy to ensure surface water is managed sustainably.
Nature – We will enhance nature on the site with wildflower planting and habitats for wildlife to thrive, as well as retaining existing trees. The land isn’t currently home to many species, and our plans will change this for the better, delivering a net gain in biodiversity.
9. Next Steps
We want to hear your views before we submit a planning application for our improved proposals. Over the coming months we will be reviewing your feedback and further evolving our plans in line with responses from you and other consultees.
You can share your feedback here or by emailing AstwickGreen@quatro-pr.co.uk
The closing date for feedback is Wednesday 18th September.
Indicative Planning Timeline
August 2024
Consultation launched on new plans
Autumn 2024
Submitting improved plans application to West Northamptonshire Council
Summer 2024
Reviewing your feedback and finalising our plans
Winter 2025
Planning decision
10. Community Fund Offer
Alongside the national benefits that Acorn’s projects bring in terms of energy sustainability, security and affordability, we also believe in sharing benefits locally. Not just by driving new investment in local farming and the rural economy, but also supporting community projects that matter to local people.
Acorn Bioenergy will establish a fund to provide investment into local community initiatives. This is separate to the planning process and would make available up to £20,000 per year throughout the lifetime of the project.