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AD and Planning Permission Print E-mail


Planning permission is necessary for most anaerobic digestion installations.  Small scale digesters using only on-farm waste may only require an Agricultural Notification, but it is recommended you get legal advice before pursuing this.  Any installation accepting thrid party waste will need full planning permission. 

There is nothing that can guarantee any planning application is approved, but the following steps lower the risk of a refusal and save time and money by avoiding resubmissions and planning appeals.

  • You should initiate a pre-application enquiry with your local minerals and waste development control team at an early stage in your feasibility process.  You can find your minerals and waste devlopment control team through your local council here.

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  • Inform the local community at an early stage.  Many successful AD projects have begun their consultation before formal plans have been submitted.  See below for more information on communicating with the general public.

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  • Prepare for a possible Environmental Impact Assessment ( EIA).  This is a must if your proposal is large (accepting over 50,000T waste per year) or in a sensitive location e.g. Conservation area, Green Belt, close proximity to residential development.  However, many councils are adopting a precautionary approach and requesting EIAs for installations well under the 50,000T threshold.

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  • When submitting a plan, it can be helpful to refer to Planning Policy Statements, which state the Government's principles towards certain aspects of planning.  Two particularly relevant documents are Planning Policy Statement 22: Renewable Energy and Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas. Planning Policy Statement 22 states that a planning application for an anaerobic digestion plant could usefully include the following:
    • site plan and elevation drawings to help determine visual impact
    • photomontage of digester, plant building(s) and chimney stack with clear indication of building material
    • information on grid connection works, including transformer and transmission lines
    • details of emissions to air and an assessment of their impact
    • details of vehicular access and vehicular movement
    • landscaping provisions
    • site management measures during the construction phase
    • model of emissions dispersion
    • community consultation plans

    • Communication
    Surveys have shown people are generally positive about renewable energy.  However, this doesn't necessarily translate into support for a local AD project.  Common issues with the planning process in general include;

    • Trust. There is often a lack of trust in developers: this can be overcome through a carefully structured consultation process. 
    • Fairness.  The planning process may be viewed as unfair: making neighbours and parish/town councils aware of your ideas before plans are submitted can help build trust. 
    • Local benefits.  There can be a perception that benefits to the local community are overstated: the proposals need to be carefully explained.
    • Meaningful engagement.  Developers may be perceived as unwilling to communicate or listen to local concerns: consultation, if properly structured, can help allay community concerns. 


    Limited understanding of AD can lead to negative perceptions causing subjective barriers.  Specific concerns expressed about AD plants include;

    • Alternative site evaluation
    • Odour control
    • Traffic generation
    • Landscape impact
    • Noise
    • Health and safety
    • Security
    • Lighting

    The best way to deal with these issues is to be proactive.  Persistence in explaining the advantages of AD backed with good information can help with progressing throughout the planning system. 

    Further reading and case studies

    For more information on EIA see this FEY leaflet.  The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) produced a report on the challenges of perception and planning including a case study of a planning application for a centralised AD plant.  This case study of Merevale and Blyth Estates Biomass plant, produced as part of the Beyond Nimbyism project, covers the general planning issues such as trust and engagement mentioned above.