Plans for a new anaerobic digestion facility at the Omega Proteins plant located to the west of Penrith submitted in April by Omega Proteins Limited have been withdrawn. The withdrawal of the planning application came days after receiving a negative response from the local highways authority, which stated that it could not support the application due to concerns about the installation of a private gas pipe on its highway network.
Omega Proteins operates the animal by-products facility located to the west of Penrith, where it processes raw materials into finished oil, fat, and meal products for various industries, including power generation, pet food, and biofuels. The company had sought to maximize low-carbon and renewable energy sources to meet the site's power demands and promote water efficiency through wastewater reuse.
The proposed plans stated the company aimed to harvest biogas from the organic content of wastewater, providing a low-carbon renewable energy source for on-site use or injection into the national gas grid. The plan involved the construction of an anaerobic digester facility to convert organic content into biogas while sending clear water to the existing effluent treatment plant for further purification.
In response to the planning application the local highways authority, Westmorland and Furness Council, said in its response on June 2, 2023, the local highways authority could not support the proposal. Citing a policy against private gas apparatus crossing the public highway network, the authority raised concerns about the potential danger posed to highway users by the installation of a private gas pipe.
In addition, the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) and Drainage, represented by the same council, also declined to support the planning application.
Penrith Town Council, during its meeting on May 15, voted to object to the application. However, the council's official response to Westmorland and Furness Council stated, “Penrith Town Council did not feel able to make a formal response due to having insufficient information”.
The decision by Omega Proteins Ltd to withdraw the plans will be a setback for the company's efforts to further enhance its sustainable energy practices after planning approval for a solar energy farm on land neighbouring the Penrith plant was approved to supply renewable energy to the site.
The Penrith area already hosts other anaerobic digesters that produce biogas for electricity generation, including at the time of its construction one of Europe's largest facilities situated north of the town.
The withdrawal of the Penrith application following the Westmorland and Furness local highways policy refusal to support the application, highlights the challenges faced by companies in navigating local regulations and obtaining support for renewable energy projects that form key parts of the UK government policy to tackle climate change and increase UK energy security. The UK Government has launched schemes to encourage new anaerobic digestion biomethane plants to increase the proportion of green gas in the gas grid as part of plans to reduce the impact of fossil fuels and increase UK energy security.
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