Ramsbottom celebrates after plans to appeal decision of the anaerobic digestion plant are dropped

Following the decision of the Secretary of State for Local Government to refuse the planning appeal made by Peel Environmental and Marshalls plc, Marshalls has confirmed they will no longer pursue the proposal.

Gary Redfern, group minerals manager at Marshalls plc, who operate the Fletcher Bank site said: “I can confirm that we have given the Secretary of State's decision considerable thought since its publication and have concluded with Peel that we do not intend to take this matter further. We have therefore closed our respective files.”

Dr Peter Jackson, who is chairman of Ramsbottom Against the Waste Site (RAWS), said: “We made strong representations to the Planning Inspector on behalf of RAWS. The proposal was for the AD plant to generate electricity and heat for the nearby Marshalls cement factory.

“During our investigations, it became clear that there is something seriously wrong with the AD industry in this country in that every AD plant built and operated results in complaints by nearby residents of foul smells, odour and noise pollution.

“We simply could not allow that to happen here in Ramsbottom and we are so pleased that Peel and Marshalls have now decided to abandon their plants.”

Councillor Ian Bevan said: “I am extremely pleased that this industrial plant will not be built at Fletcher Bank.

“Not only did residents face a future of bad smells, noise and traffic from the proposed plant, but Ramsbottom businesses, who have worked hard to turn our town into a premier tourist destination, were seriously under threat by this proposal.

“I would like to take the opportunity of thanking my colleagues in RAWS, local residents and everyone that campaigned with us against this.

“It is only a shame that Peel and Marshalls did not listen to us in the early stages of this planning application, and forced residents to go through two years of emotional stress of fighting this proposed waste plant.”