People power sees Brigg power station plans revised

Plans to build a power station at Brigg could see an access road built to address fears over traffic.

Centrica Energy is half-way through its formal consultation period for the proposed biomass plant on the land that was formerly Brigg Sugar Factory.

Changes to the plans include the creation of a new access road off the A18. Centrica has also said it will develop an off-site park and ride facility for construction workers with around 400 spaces.

Planning permission will be sought once the formal consultation ends on October 21 and, if granted, could see works begin in 2014. The plant is likely to be fully operational by 2017, could power up to 200,000 homes and create 50 jobs when operational.

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Suzanne Edmond, a spokeswoman for Centrica Energy, said: "Some residents asked about the measures that would be put in place, should the main access road to the site become blocked.

"We are proposing to build a new construction access road off the A18 to the north of the site for use during the construction phase for use by emergency vehicles and on a temporary basis for operational traffic."

Consultation with the local community has led to the plans being updated.

Mrs Edmond said: "We have had a lot of positive reaction to the plans at our exhibitions and on our website. Where possible we have taken them on board and incorporated them in the plans."

Mrs Edmond said concerns had been raised about the impact the plant would have on traffic in the town.

She said: "A new rail unloading facility would be developed to sit alongside the existing railway line to transport the biomass to the plant from a UK port.

"This would mean that deliveries of fuel by road would be kept to exceptional circumstances."

The biomass fuel will predominantly be delivered by rail. To accommodate this, a new railway unloading facility would be upgraded, with eight purpose-built tubs used to store the fuel.

The proposed biomass station would use a combination of virgin biomass pellets and wood chip that come from sustainably managed commercial sources, mainly from overseas.

Additional areas of compensatory flood storage have also been included, following concerns about flooding at the site due to its close proximity to the River Ancholme.

The power station will create around 50 full-time employees during operation and around 500 consultation workers during peak times.

Local residents at the exhibition, held at the Ancholme Leisure Centre, were impressed with the plans.

Maureen Fleming, 73, who lives close to the Sugar Factory site, said: "I have been really impressed with the proposals.

"It seems like they have taken on board what the residents have had to say on the plans.

"I would welcome the application to Brigg as it will bring jobs and investment to the area."

Bob Johnson, 54, said: "I liked how they asked the residents to choose what it would look like so they have thought about how it will look against the landscape."