Campaigners against anaerobic digestion facility in Gunby near Grantham say South Kesteven District Council’s decision to refuse it was ‘right one’
Campaigners say they are "absolutely blooming relieved" after plans to build an anaerobic digestion facility were turned down.
Dozens of concerned residents packed the council chamber for South Kesteven District Council's planning committee meeting yesterday (Thursday, January 23), where members rejected the controversial proposal by Ironstone Energy Limited, a subsidiary of Future Biogas Ltd.
The plans proposed developing an anaerobic digestion facility on undeveloped farmland south of Sewstern Road in Gunby, designed to convert around 130,000 tonnes of purpose-grown crops into biomethane for injection into the national gas grid. This would have generated enough energy to supply approximately 130,000 homes annually.
It attracted more than 350 formal objections via the council’s planning portal, and more than 1,200 people signed a petition opposing it.
Ultimately, the proposal was rejected due to concerns over the potential harm to the rural area's character and landscape, as well as safety issues arising from increased HGV traffic on the village’s narrow roads.
Following the meeting, campaigner Dr Janine Liladhar expressed her relief, stating: "The application itself was absolutely full of holes."
Dr Liladhar praised the efforts of residents from seven nearby villages, many of whom took annual leave to support the campaign.
"The council has done exactly the right thing today – perfect decision," she added.
However, Dr Liladhar claimed that Future Biogas is already planning to appeal the decision. The company has been approached for a statement.
Councillor Ben Green (Conservative) described the application as "an attempt to force an industrial-scale anaerobic digestion plant into the heart of our cherished countryside" while addressing the committee.
He was also "absolutely elated" with the outcome, adding: "The community really rallied and came together, and it’s been a key concern and worry for many, many months. The fact remains, it's fundamentally the wrong location. You only have to go down there—it’s a whole network of very narrow roads.
"A scheme like this could work in a different location that’s more sympathetic to the community."
When asked about the rumours of an appeal, he remained committed to the cause, insisting: "We’re not going anywhere. I think we are prepared to fight for as long as it takes to ensure the right thing is done by Gunby and the surrounding villages."
During the meeting, Philipp Lukas, chief executive officer of Future Biogas, explained that the proposed plant was larger than others due to the high cost of connecting to the gas network, making a smaller version financially unviable.
He also emphasised that the plant would create more than a dozen jobs both onsite and locally, help farms reduce diesel use, improve biodiversity, and support food production. However, these arguments failed to persuade the planning committee.
