Councillors will debate controversial bioenergy plant plans in Northamptonshire village again over fears it could breach planning law

The Acorn Bioenergy Ltd scheme will return to the local authority’s planning committee for the fourth time in just over two years, after it emerged that council officers had not considered important policy guidance on minerals and waste, despite the plans encompassing a significant amount of agricultural waste management.

In September 2025, West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) green-lit the development, known as Astwick Green, which would be located on land near Buckingham Road, Evenley. This came after proposals for the same location, with different-sized digestor units, were rejected in 2023.

The site will use feedstock to create biomethane, which is a renewable gas. The applicant says the anaerobic digestion process would use around 21,000 tonnes of farmyard manure and dairy slurry, 41,000 tonnes of maize and 21,000 tonnes of straw every year.

Acorn Bioenergy said this would generate enough energy to heat more than 8,000 households.

An updated report going to the committee ahead of next week’s planning meeting explained: “Following the committee’s resolution and drafting of the Section 106 Agreement, further third-party comments have been received, in respect of the resolution to grant planning permission for the proposed development.

“The letter sets out grounds for challenge on the council’s decision in the event that planning permission is granted. This report seeks to address the concerns raised and the proposed grounds for challenge.”

WNC officers have acknowledged that the application should have been assessed against the Northamptonshire Minerals and Waste Local Plan (NMWLP). They say that bringing the update report back to the committee will recognise that the proposed development does include an element of waste, but that it ultimately complies with NMWLP policies.

A third party has also contended that there should be a condition to limit the source of feedstock to local farmers. However, officers argue that details submitted by the applicant already show a clear intention to source from a local catchment area and that imposing a condition would be too restrictive in the event of crop failure in one particular area.

Cathy Ellis, chair of Evenley Parish Council, told the LDRS: “This planning application has been a mess from start to finish. We pointed out that the Minerals and Waste Local Plan was needed four years ago, but were told we were completely wrong.

“The stress and the amount of work we have had to put in this over the years and there’s been so little regard to what us, the little people in Evenley, have had to go through.”

At the time, WNC said the plans received just over 300 letters of objection and 176 letters of support. This included objections from Evenley and Croughton parish councils and the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Northamptonshire, which raised concerns about traffic, harm to the countryside, and the effect of odour on nearby residents.

Planning officers have once again concluded that the proposed development is considered acceptable and recommended that planning members vote to approve the bioenergy plant, subject to conditions.

The plans will be looked at again on Tuesday February 17 at the Forum council chamber in Towcester.