Ford 'combined heat and power plant' plans submitted

South Coast Skips Ltd, based at the Rudford Industrial Estate off Ford Road, provides skip hire and site clearance to recycle wood, plastic, paper, cardboard, metals and manufactures a secondary aggregate.

Residual derived fuel from the site is currently sent to mainland Europe for use as a fuel in energy generation.

The company now wants permission to use part of its hangar building at the former Ford Airfield for a ‘combined heat and power plant’ to burn this non-recyclable material in order to generate electricity.

An application for this change of use has been submitted to West Sussex County Council.

The application argues that due to the nature and scale of the proposed development ‘it is not anticipated that the installation of the plant would give rise to any significant impacts upon the local environment or amenity’.

The new equipment would comprise a fuel storage and feed system, furnace feeding system, combustion chamber, heating system, gas filtration system and electrical generation plant.

A flue would extend out of the existing building to a height of some 19.77m above ground level. Emissions would pass through various filters before exiting the flue.

The applicant says if approved the new plant would lead to a small reduction in the number of HGV lorries entering and leaving the site.

However several residents have already objected to the application on the grounds it would lead to more traffic and the impact this would have on the surrounding area.

To view the plans visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/planning using code WSCC/015/22.