Swindon’s solid recovery fuel plant is set for a new lease of life after plans were submitted to change the use of the facility.

In February, Swindon Borough Council announced that the plant would be decommissioned, just eight years after £8 million of public money was spent on constructing it.

SBC built the facility at the Cheney Manor Industrial Estate as a way of converting the town’s waste into solid recovered fuel. This would be used in industrial processes.

The plant was opened in 2014 by Defra minister George Eustice, who was the former environment secretary under Boris Johnson’s administration.

It was officially decommissioned on April 1.

Public Power Solutions, the council-owned energy developer, has submitted a planning application to change the use of the recovery fuel plant into a waste transfer station.

In their plans, the company says that 60-65,000 tonnes per annum would travel through the site. This would be a reduction on the 80,000 tonnes that currently pass through.

Furthermore, the operating hours would be from 5 am to 8 pm seven days a week. At present this is from 4.30 am to 12:30 am.

Once processed the waste materials would be taken to facilities in Avonmouth, Ardley and Colnbrook near Slough.

In the years since the fuel plant was opened, there have been numerous complaints of a "cheese-vomit" stench that were made to councillors by residents in Rodbourne and Rodbourne Cheney.

An investigation conducted by specialist firm Arup found the 'Rodbourne Pong' came from the neighbouring Waterside Park where the plant is based.

Under their supporting statements, Public Power Solutions have sought to assure the council and residents that a return of the ‘Rodbourne Pong’ will not happen.

The company said it recognised that odours have the potential to pose a nuisance for residents living near an offensive source.

However, the waste transfer station operation will be contained in a building within an industrial estate and remote from residential locations.

Furthermore, Public Power Solutions state that the waste will only be stored for a maximum of 72 hours, which will reduce the odour impact.

It concludes by saying: “Upon assessing potential sources, pathways and receptors the assessment concludes that the overall significance of odour effects is not significant.”

The plans will now be considered by the council with a view to approving the development.