Overview

• The National Planning Inspectorate will hold a public hearing on August 27 to reconsider Durham County Council’s approval of the anaerobic digestion plant at Sprucely Farm near Sedgefield.
• More than 800 objections lodged by residents and local organisations highlight fears of persistent odours and increased heavy vehicle traffic.
• John Adamson of Hardwick Hall Hotel has suspended an £18 million spa expansion after warning that odour and traffic could disrupt festival and other events.
• Denis Craggs of Knotty Hill Golf Centre and County Councillor Ian Catchpole argue that an industrial‐scale digestor is incompatible with nearby recreational and residential areas.
• BioConstruct New Energy says the plant will process 76,000 tonnes of organic waste annually to generate methane for 18,000 homes, convert residual material into agricultural fertiliser and avoid odour, noise or ecological harm.