Agenda item

We considered the report of the application and late correspondence which was

recommended for approval subject to the conditions, as outlined in the report.

Councillor F. Cotton, representing Monmouth Town Council, attended the meeting by invitation of the Chair and outlined the following points:

·         There is no proposed use or customer for the heat generated, bar negligible output to the pumping station.

·         The possibility of supply to the new swimming pool complex is suggested but not substantiated.

·         The scale of the capacity and output needs to be acknowledged. Even with the Spa Hotel complex, the heat generated would be in excess of that used.

·         The approval was previously granted on the premise that the Spa Hotel and the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant were symbiotic but this is not the case.

·         The heat produced by such a plant would be sufficient to provide heat for an Olympic sized swimming pool and a substantial hospital complex, and the heating and hot water for 300 to 400 domestic homes together.

·         There appears to be no proposed use or consumer for the energy generated except for sale to the national grid.

·         This is a fossil fuel burning power station, lacking the efficiencies of a CHP which will need to dump the excessive amounts of generated heat as a waste product.

·         Gas is a fossil fuel generating carbon dioxide, making a contribution to global warming.

·         Claims that it will be a benign beneficial provider of energy to the town and its economy is not substantiated in this proposal.

·         The application gives no indication that energy will be retailed to the community at beneficial rates.

·         Under the Well-being of Future Generations Act, the proposal fails.

·         The proposal fails on the globally responsible Wales that we aim to be.

·         Under the Environmental Act, we have a responsibility to reduce greenhouse gasses.  If this proposal does not go ahead then the production of greenhouse gasses will be avoided.

·         Should the proposal go ahead with end users of heat generated identified, then, by its increased efficiency of greenhouse gas fuel, it would constitute responsible use of a fossil fuel but no end user of heat has been identified.

·         Monmouth Town Council would look favourably on this application if it demonstrated the most efficient use of gas fuel.  This would require an identified destination or user of the heat produced.  If it demonstrated beneficial and lower cost and efficient power supply, both heat and power to the local community, and if it was a constituent part of a development bringing advantages to the local community. The Town Council considers that it does not and therefore does not support the application.

Having considered the report of the application and the views expressed, the following points were noted:

·         As the application is for outline permission, approval of the application should be considered, as the Committee will need greater context to know what the proposal will be in order to identify whether there is a problem with the heat output.

·         It is vital that the development is a Combined Heat and Power plant which would be positive for the town.

·         It is an appropriate type of development being less vulnerable development for a flood zone.

·         In response to a question raised regarding community benefit, it was noted that this matter was not a part of the planning process and would have to be covered via a separate agreement between the developer and the local community.

·         If there are details of an end heat user, this information might be available at the reserved matters stage. It will be a commercial decision for the applicant to decide who the end user is should the application be approved and to supply that end user with the energy. This is not something that can be controlled via the Planning Committee.

·         Concern was expressed that this development was being proposed, as a developer was intending to provide an energy project that might or might not be useful to what happens on the surrounding land.

·         The Combined Heat and Power plant is not efficient, neither is it very innovative.  There are no benefits to Monmouth with regard to employment or free energy to local schools.

·         It would be easier to market this area if a Combined Heat and Power plant was located at this site.

·         Condition 4 refers to environmental health issues.  Environmental Health officers are satisfied that the information submitted to date is acceptable and the principle of a Combined Heat and Power plant being located at this site is acceptable. The finer details will be reviewed at the reserved matters stage.

It was proposed by County Councillor A. Davies and seconded by County Councillor A. Webb that application DC/2017/00376 be approved subject to the conditions, as outlined in the report.

Upon being put to the vote, the following votes were recorded:

For approval              -           11

Against approval      -           3

Abstentions               -           1

The proposition was carried.

We resolved that application DC/2017/00376 be approved subject to the conditions, as outlined in the report.