CAMPAIGNERS’ claims that a new renewable energy centre will result in a toxic smog being created have been dismissed by the firm behind the controversial scheme.

Peel Environmental’s application to vary some of the conditions to its Houghton Main project was approved last week - despite campaigners saying air pollution would be considerably worsened for residents living near the Park Spring Road site during a heated debate at Barnsley Town Hall.

The firm successfully sought to relax some conditions in order to allow more vehicles onto the site as well as a greater variety of material to be used as fuel, including refuse-derived fuel (RDF) which is made from waste products including paper, non-recyclable plastics and textiles.

Richard Barker, development manager at Peel Environmental, told the Chronicle this week that the development could act as a ‘catalyst’ for further regeneration in the area.

“The Houghton Main energy centre will bring around £100m of investment into Barnsley and continue the regeneration of the former colliery site,” he added. “Twenty full-time jobs will be created when it’s operational and about 200 jobs will be taken during construction.

“We are delighted that members agreed with their planning officers’ recommendation and gave the go-ahead for the changes to be made. There is a real opportunity for this energy centre to act as a catalyst for further regeneration of the area, as the site is surrounded by land earmarked for employment use.”

Materials used in RDF often ends up in landfill or is exported from the UK for use in energy recovery facilities across Europe, consisting of what remains after recyclates such as higher quality paper, card, wood, plastics, glass, aggregates and metal have been removed.

The energy centre, Peel claims, will generate up to 22MW of low-carbon energy in the form of electricity - enough to power 51,000 homes - and potentially heat. This electricity would be exported to the local grid, contributing to the national energy supply, while the residual heat from the process could be used by neighbouring businesses.

A council report revealed the number of vehicles in and out of the plant will increase from 30 to 39 per weekday, and 33 on both Saturday and Sunday on a road described as an ‘accident blackspot’.