Planning Committee 5 March 2015 Application Reference: 14/00215/FUL Reference: Site: 14/00215/FUL Land At Thames Haven The Manorway Coryton Essex Ward: Proposal: Corringham And Erection of an Energy Recovery Centre [comprising an Fobbing Advanced Conversion Technology (ACT) 8-12 MWe pyrolysis plant and an Anaerobic Digestion (AD) 2-3 MWe facility with an integrated education centre] together with access improvements, landscaping and associated works Plan Number(s): Reference Name Received CPPL-02/00-01 Site Location Plan 28.02.14 CPPL-02/00-02 Site Location Plan with Aerial Photograph 28.02.14 CPPL-02/05-01 Site Sections 28.02.14 CPPL-02/10-01 Proposed Site Layout 28.02.14 CPPL-02/10-02 Proposed Floor Plan Level 00 28.02.14 CPPL-02/10-03 Proposed Floor Plan Level 01 28.02.14 CPPL-02/10-04 Proposed Floor Plan Roof Level 28.02.14 CPPL-02/10-05 Proposed Floor Plan (Levels 00 & 01) Office, 28.02.14 Education & Reception Areas CPPL-02/20-01 Proposed Sections 28.02.14 CPPL-02/20-02 Proposed Sections 2 (Extended) Sheet 1 of 3 28.02.14 CPPL-02/30-01 Proposed Elevations 1 28.02.14 CPPL-02/30-02 Proposed Elevations 2 AD Tanks 28.02.14 The application is also accompanied by: Community Involvement Report Environment Statement – Main Text Environment Statement – Technical Appendices Environment Statement – Non-Technical Summary Environment Statement - Addendum Transport Assessment Transport Assessment – Addendum Sequential Test: Evidence Base Energy Statement Sustainability Statement BREEAM Pre-Assessment Planning Statement Planning Committee 5 March 2015 Application Reference: 14/00215/FUL Design and Access Statement Applicant: Validated: Clean Power Properties Ltd. & Network Rail 5 March 2014 Infrastructure Ltd. Date of expiry: 31 March 2015 Recommendation: APPROVAL – subject to conditions 1.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSAL 1.1 In summary, the application proposes the construction and operation of a facility to process non-hazardous household and commercial waste in order generate renewable energy (electricity) using the technologies of Advanced Conversion Technology (ACT) and Anaerobic Digestion (AD). The main elements of the proposals are described in the table below: Site Area 2.3 hectares Floorspace 5,710 sq.m. Employment Approximately 34 full time employees Vehicle Trips 128 HGV trips (64 lorries) daily 22 car trips (11 cars) daily Based on a worst case scenario assuming all movements by road Inputs approx. 128,000 tonnes per annum of municipal solid and commercial & industrial waste approx. 67,000 tonnes per annum of biodegradable organic wastes TOTAL 195,000 tonnes per annum Outputs 10-15 MWe electrical power approx. 38,500 tonnes per annum of recyclable material 1.2 Inputs: The proposed facility would process up to 195,000 tonnes of waste per annum, comprising up to 128,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of municipal solid waste (MSW) and commercial and industrial waste (C&I) and up to 67,000 tpa of biodegradable organic wastes. The facility will not accept hazardous waste and if such waste is encountered during processing it would be separated for transfer to an appropriate treatment or disposal facility. 1.3 Processes: Wastes would be delivered to a sealed reception area located at the northern-end of the treatment building. The application assumes a ‘worst case’ scenario whereby Planning Committee 5 March 2015 Application Reference: 14/00215/FUL all wastes are brought to the site by road, although the submitted layout plan refers to a future rail interface area to allow for the future transfer of material by rail. The waste reception area is operated under negative pressure, for the purposes of odour control. A dedicated Anaerobic Digestion (AD) bay would receive pure biomass matter with solid biodegradable waste to be macerated, blended and pumped directly to digestion tanks. A slurry tank would receive liquid wastes for AD. 1.4 All other wastes would then pass through an autoclaving process where pressure and heat would be applied to sterilise and break down non-recyclable organic material into a homogenous fibre. The material would then pass through a process of mechanical separation to remove any recyclable elements such as plastics, metal and glass for off-site recycling. The applicant suggests that up to 30% of the ACT material would be recovered for recycling. Some rejected material would be removed manually at this stage and would be expected to include stones, textiles and large wood fragments. After separation, the remaining non-recyclable mixed waste would be passed through a process of pyrolysis. The pyrolysis process (defined as the thermochemical decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures in the absence of oxygen) causes a chemical transformation which releases synthesis gas and produces a charcoal solid. The gas produced would be processed before being combined with the bio-methane produced from the AD process. The charcoal solid would be used in a burner system to produce the heat required for the pyrolysis process. Residual ash from pyrolysis would be reused as a secondary aggregate off-site at a rate of approximately 3,840tpa. Waste heat from the pyrolysers would be used to produce steam for the autoclaves, heating for the AD tanks and provide heating and hot water for the building. The applicant estimates approximately 3,900tpa of waste would be removed off-site for disposal. The proposed system would allow for excess heat to be exported to local heat distribution networks should they be available. A heat loop is proposed at the edge of the site to which potential users could connect. 1.5 The second waste technology proposed is Anaerobic Digestion. AD is the digestion of feedstock to release heat and methane and produce a solid digestate which is typically used as an agricultural fertiliser. The proposed AD facility would be capable of recovering up to 67,000tpa of biomass (primarily biodegradable food waste but also potentially including some green waste and liquid wastes). Approximately 90 percent of material fed through the AD process would remain after processing. The applicant proposes that approximately half of the digestate would be fed through the autoclave process while the other half would be exported off site as an agricultural fertiliser. When combined with the gas produced through pyrolysis the site would be able to drive three gas engines to generate approximately 10-15MWe for the National Grid network. 1.6 Outputs: In addition to recyclable material (mentioned above) which will be separated and recovered for off-site recycling, the pyrolysis process would produce vitrified ash Planning Committee 5 March 2015 Application Reference: 14/00215/FUL (melted charcoal ash). This material is described as non-hazardous and inert and will be re-used off-site as an aggregate. Approximately 90% of the material used in the AD plant will remain after processing. Some 50% of this material would be exported off-site for use as a fertilising agent and the remaining 50% fed into the autoclave process. 1.7 Proposed Buildings & Structures: The proposals involve the construction of a single process buildings and a number of ancillary structures on the site. The main operational building would be located at the south-western corner of the site, within a roughly ‘L’ shaped structure with a length of 110m and a maximum width of 60m. This building would have the appearance of a warehouse with a gross floorspace of some 5,700 sq.m. and a height of 9m. This structure would house the waste reception area (Zone 1), the waste processing and treatment area (Zone 2), the pyrolysis area (Zone 3) and finally the power generation area (Zone 4). The main building would also house offices and an education centre accommodated over two floors. 1.8 Four AD process tanks would be located on the western part of the site. These structures would have a diameter of either 24m or 28m with a height of 7m. A number of ancillary structures would be located close to the southern boundary of the site comprising a site reception office, wheel wash facility, district heating connection, electrical substation, weighbridge, gas holder tank and 3 no. emission flue / gas flare stacks to a height of 25m. 1.9 Access: Vehicular access to the site would be taken from an existing road within the former Petroplus refinery site to the south, which in turn connects to the roundabout junction at the eastern-end of The Manorway. A parking area for 16no. vehicles is proposed, including charging points for electric vehicles. Cycle parking facilities are also proposed. 1.10 Employment: The applicant suggests that up to 34 full time jobs would be created, including employees involved in delivering waste to the site. This total also includes staff employed in the processing operations (which will take place on a 24 hour basis, 7 days a week) and administrative staff employed during normal office hours on weekdays. 2.0 SITE DESCRIPTION 3.1 The application site comprises an irregularly-shaped parcel of land comprising rail sidings and open land at the eastern end of the Thames Haven branch railway line and railway sidings. The former Petroplus refinery site (now known as the Thames Enterprise Park) is generally located to the north and east of the site, with the London Gateway site to the east. The application site, and the adjoining land to the north-west containing the majority of the rail sidings were formerly operated by D B Planning Committee 5 March 2015 Application Reference: 14/00215/FUL Schenker, a company providing railway logistics services. The sidings and adjoining land are currently vacant but were most recently used on a low key basis for the repair and maintenance of railway wagons.