A SEA of protesters swept through the council’s civic offices last night to voice their fierce opposition against plans to build a biomass plant in Cheney Manor.

Campaigners armed with placards rallied together outside Swindon’s full council meeting to show their protest to Pure Green’s application to build an animal bedding and energy biomass plant at Cheney Manor Industrial Estate.

The plans have been at the centre of a number of large public gatherings, including a residents’ meeting, a planning committee and now a council meeting.

Under the proposals, the company wants to produce around 50,000 tonnes of animal bedding plus energy at its plant which would see the construction of two chimneys up to 30 metres high.

Resident Paul Saunders presented a 700-signature petition to Deputy Mayor Teresa Page, who was standing in for Mayor Nick Martin while he is off sick. This was the second petition handed over in the space of three weeks. The first contained 1,700 signatures.

Paul, 53, of Manor Gardens, said: “The public reaction is growing every day.

“People still don’t know about the application. They are appalled when they find out such a development could take place by a school.”

Debbie Hancock, 42, was one of the many residents who turned out to voice concern at the protest.

“It shouldn't be happening,” she said.

“My daughter goes to Nova and I live on Akers way. This type of development is not suited for the area. My daughter and my house comes first.”

Nicholas Hembery, 29, of Surrey Road agreed. He said: “The whole proposition for this is completely ridiculous. What it could do to the community and environment is worrying for health reasons and traffic problems.”

Julie Brown, 66, of Bessemer Road, said: “I don’t think it should be built. It’s too near a school and it’s in the middle of houses. It is the whole of Swindon it is going to affect.”

In August a planning team deffered its decision on whether the application should be granted despite planning officers recommending the development should go ahead.

Councillors ordered the company behind the proposals to host a number of public consultations before the application could go back in front of them.

Director of Pure Green, Peter Vandeputte, said discussions are under way with the planning team to decide where and when the consultations should take place.

Coun Desmond Moffat, who represents the Rodbourne Cheney ward, has been leading the campaign. He said he was pleased with the way the protest was handled but the battle is not over yet.

“It’s been a brilliant turn out. The people I represent have behaved beautifully,” he said.

“But it doesn’t end here, we will carry on until the job is done. To some extent we are in the hands of the applicant. But we will not give up hope that the applicant will see the will of the people and withdraw the application.”

The countdown to controversy

April 19, 2013 – News that a biomass plant, creating green energy from recycled natural materials, could soon be built at Cheney Manor Industrial Estate, was announced.

April 26 – Planning application was received by Swindon Council Planning Department.

August 2 – Opposition to plans for the plant gathered pace. Following a seminar at the Civic Offices with representatives of Hippofan, Pure Green’s European parent company, Coun Des Moffatt raised concerns that noxious gases will be produced as a part of the factory’s manufacturing processes. A public meeting was later arranged.

August 13 – Around 200 people attended a public meeting and predicted clouds of black smoke and an increase in people suffering from asthma would be the future if the plant was given the go ahead.

August 14 – A decision on whether the plant should be built was deferred by the council to allow more time to find answers to a number of issues.

August 16 – Councillors, residents and an MP joined forces and appealed to Pure Green to ‘Leave Swindon alone’. Coun Dale Heenan said the biomass plant was not wanted and not needed.

August 22 – Angry residents called on the council to hold its own company Forward Swindon to account for the biomass plant planning application.

August 23 – The bosses of the company behind the biomass application met representatives to debate the proposed plant but were told it was ‘too little, too late’.

September 17 – A petition was launched to galvanise support against the proposed biomass plant.

September 24 – Councillors Kevin Small and Desmond Moffat were to bring a motion before full council to ask Forward Swindon to retract its support for Pure Green.

October 14 – Despite one of the directors of Pure Green, Peter Vandeputte, talking about dropping the production of energy and the controversial chimney from his plans, the original proposals were set to go before the council again.

October 23 – More than 2,000 signatures had been collected for the petition.

October 26 – MP for north Swindon, Justin Tomlinson, announced his opposition to the biomass plant and said the company’s application was not fit for purpose.

October 31 – Almost 300 people packed out a public meeting to voice their opposition.