A campaign group has pledged to fight controversial plans to build an anaerobic digestion site in Ramsbottom which have been re-submitted to Bury Council.

The Ramsbottom Against Waste Site (RAWS) group says it will continue to fight the plans, and claims “little has changed” since the proposals were last put forward. The planning application by Peel Environmental was temporarily with-drawn in November, days before it was set to go before the council’s planning committee.

Peel wants to build the site, which would create electricity by using food by-products, and Tamar Energy would build and run the facility at Fletcher Bank Quarry. The electricity would be used by Marshalls to power its activities on the site.

Peel says the new application includes additional information on the air quality impact assessment, and more information about the odour control system. The RAWS group accepts that new investigations have been carried out, but claims that they do not include on-site monitoring within the quarry void, or within Ramsbottom itself.

Cllr Ian Bevan said: “It is unfortunate that a fresh planning application has been submitted by Peel and Marshalls and that it has to undergo the same planning process and consultation as last time.

“I am hoping Bury Council will listen to the wave of protest about this application. In the end, more than 1,000 Ramsbottom residents objected last time round, and very little has changed in this new planning application.”

Karen Pollard-Rylance, chairman of RAWS, added: “Together we must stand as a community and say no to this proposal.”

Peel has defended its application, and says it has consulted with residents in Ramsbottom.

Peel, Tamar Energy and Marshalls held a public information event in Ramsbottom on January 28, and had a meeting with RAWS on the same day.

Kieran Tames, develop-ment surveyor at Peel, said: “We provided further information within the new application to demonstrate that local factors, such as on-site topography and local weather conditions, were fully taken into account in our air quality assess-ment. This robust assessment, combined with the use of enhanced odour control technology, demonstrates our commit-ment to appropriately sited, sustainable and clean energy generation.”