THE controversial Barton Renewable Combined Heat and Power Plant is set to go before planning chiefs tomorrow night, Thursday February 11.

The Davyhulme power plant variation application was due to go before Trafford Council’s planning committee on December 10 but had been deferred at the last minute.

The postponement was to allow time for the council to receive and consider comments from Public Health England on the application.

The original power plant application was approved in 2013.  Trafford Council refused to grant permission but this decision was overturned on appeal.

The been project had been put on hold early last year while Peel Energy investigated the viability of the plant also supplying heat.  

Peel concluded that they should push ahead with plans to build a dual purpose plant, which would supply heat as well as energy to nearby homes and businesses.

Subsequently, a planning application was submitted to vary design and layout aspects of the plant, which would be located on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal.

The developers said the existing plant consent remains extant until May 2017 and the variation would offer the option to update the extant consent rather than replace it.

The application is recommended for approval.

Jon England, Peel Energy project manager, said: “As well as reducing the physical scale of the plant, our proposed revisions will assist with established local and national government policies to produce and use energy more sustainably.

“Localised demand for renewable heat produced as a by-product of electricity generation is significant and could reduce the carbon footprint of the Trafford Park area. Once installed, a district heating network could be expanded to supply additional existing buildings and assist with regeneration growth locally.”

Members of Trafford’s Breathe Clean Air Group (BCAG) are expected to attend tomorrow night’s meeting. The group oppose the proposal on the basis that ‘it would pollute the neighbourhood with toxic chemicals’.