West Bletchley Council and Newton Longville Parish Council

Re: Gas Depot off Bletchley Road, Biogas Injection Planning Application

The proposed doubling of the amount of gas being stored at the gas depot off Bletchley Road and the increase in the capacity of the vehicles that would be transiting through Bletchley and Newton Longville needs to be considered very seriously.

Proposed bio-gas tanker "off-loading facility" to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to inject "renewable" gas into the national gas distribution network. At: Southern Gas Network (SGN) Depot, Bletchley Road Application Reference: 24/02423/VRC

A "Section 73" application has been made for what is misleadingly described by Buckinghamshire Council as a "variation of condition 2 (transport statement) relating to application 20/03539/APP" but which if approved would result in a new planning permission.

We are in contact with the adjoining Newton Longville Council, who are objecting to the application and so do many of their parishioners. It is Buckinghamshire Council that will make a decision on this application.

The applicants Acorn Bioenergy Ltd want to double the amount of gas stored on site from 15 to 30 tonnes with the capacity of storage in the tankers increases from 9,000 scm (standard cubic metres) to 15,000 scm. But they say don't worry, each bay will only get "4 loads a day or 8 movements per day, a reduction from 6 loads or 12 movements per day" - oh but that "the only other difference in the operation of the Site will be the decant time which will increase from 4 to 6 hours per lorry load, because of the increased capacity of every lorry". No detail has been submitted to show how these figures have been calculated, nor have any specific details been provided about the type, size and laden weight of the HGVs involved.

How to Object

Online: You may view the application online using the Buckinghamshire Council planning portal, entering ref 24/02423/VRC and make comments on it. You may also view what others have said in their comments on the application. Before making a comment online you need to register.

By email: If you have difficulty accessing the online system, you can email your comments to devcontrol.av@buckinghamshire.gov.uk State in your email that you were unable to access their web site, and ask them to acknowledge acceptance of your comments by email in view of this. If commenting by email then it is important that you include your name, your address and your postcode along with the following reference as above.

By Post: If you do not have online access you can write to Buckinghamshire Council, Planning Services, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 8FF. Include your name, your address and your postcode along with the following reference as above.

Concerns with the original application back in 2020 included those related to additional large HGV traffic entering and leaving the gas depot and whether it was safe for a large volume of hazardous gas to be stored so close to a residential area.

The proposed increase in the capacity of the vehicles that would be transiting through Bletchley and a doubling of the amount of gas that could be stored at the depot off Bletchley Road therefore needs to be considered very seriously.

The proposed slight reduction in vehicle movements does not overcome the more significant proposal to DOUBLE the gas storage on site to 30 tonnes. This remains a poorly thought-out proposal in a very unsuitable location, so close to houses. The Parish Council believes this means the site becomes "a hazardous site" and there is then a defined area around it where development is controlled and any such planning application has to be submitted to the HSE who have to approve it. Specialist advice is being sought by the parish council on how best to object to the application. The size of this control area could include the whole village and homes on the Bletchley side of the railway.

What to Object to:

Use points that YOU most object to using your own words. The personal touch in what you say adds considerable weight to our well-founded objections to this appalling proposal. For further ideas of what to say, look at objections others have already submitted.

·        Refer to the 1,400+ overwhelming objections to the original application back in 2020.

·        Increased concerns about highways issues with the volume of gas to be transported through the village rising from 9,000 scm (standard cubic meters) to 13,000 scm.

·        Refer in particular to the risk of an accident at the roundabouts of Newton Rd and Buckingham Rd, under the railway bridge and at the entrance/exit to the site.

·        Refer to how close some residential properties are to the public road along which the HGVs would be passing.

·        Increased concerns about the risk represented by the site itself where the volume of gas potentially being stored goes up from 15 to 30 tonnes.

·        Refer to the close proximity of residential properties (Bletchley Road, Saints and Racecourse estate). Query whether all Environment Agency (EA) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) requirements will be met and whether there might be any future planning issues in the immediate area around the site.

·        Concerns about environmental issues linked to flood risk. Query whether the Environment Agency have been fully consulted.

·        Note concerns raised by Network Rail and refer to the disruption in this area we’ve already had with the East West Rail rebuild and the need now to protect the rail line.

Who can Object

Anyone - please encourage everyone in your household to object as well as friends and relatives.

Multiple objections can be submitted by an individual and by different members of the same household.

When to Object

Objections should be submitted by 30 September 2024, BUT Buckinghamshire Council MUST take into account any comments received up to the point where a decision is made on the application, so even if you miss the current deadline please submit your objections, but ideally please submit by 30 September.

Thanks to everyone who has already taken the time to object to this application, please encourage others to do so.

You may also wish to contact your MP and MKCC Ward Councillors and ask them to get involved. Callum Anderson MP: callum.anderson.mp@parliament.uk

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