ALTERNATIVE USE BOSTON PROJECTS LTD SECTION 48, PLANNING ACT 2008
REGULATION 4 INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (APPLICATIONS: PRESCRIBED FORMS AND PROCEDURE) REGULATIONS 2009 (THE ‘REGULATIONS’)
BOSTON ALTERNATIVE ENERGY FACILITY
NOTICE PUBLICISING A PROPOSED APPLICATION FOR A DEVELOPMENT CONSENT ORDER
Alternative Use Boston Projects Ltd (the ‘Applicant’) of 26 Church Street, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, England, CM23 2LY (Company Number 11013830), published a Notice in June 2019 publicising a proposed application for a Development Consent Order and advising of its intention to make an application (the ‘Proposed Application’) to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy under Section 37 of the Planning Act 2008 (the ‘2008 Act’) for a Development Consent Order (‘DCO’) authorising the construction, operation and maintenance of a power-generation plant, known as the Boston Alternative Energy Facility, within the Riverside Industrial Estate, Boston, Lincolnshire (the ‘Proposed Development’)
Summary of Proposed Development
The Proposed Development would comprise:
- an Energy from Waste facility comprising three thermal treatment units and steam turbine generators to generate up to 102 MW (gross) of energy;
- a wharf with cranes and berthing points;
- a storage bunker and contingency external storage area for the temporary storage of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) bales;
- a RDF bale shredding facility (a sealed building) to remove bale wrap and reduce the particle size;
- conveyors to transfer RDF bales and processed material;
- turbine plant comprising three steam turbine engines, make-up water facility and associated piping and ductwork;
- air-cooled condenser structure, transformer pen and associated piping and ductwork;
- an on-site grid connection and substation to facilitate the export of up to 80 MW to the National Grid;
- a lightweight aggregate manufacturing plant to process the thermal treatment ash and air pollution control residues into two separate aggregate products;
- two carbon dioxide (CO2) recovery plants, allowing a proportion of the CO2 from two of the three thermal treatment units to be captured and converted to food grade CO2 for off-site industrial use;
- a storage area for lightweight aggregate product prior to removal (by ship) from the site; and
- associated infrastructure including a visitor centre, car parking, onsite roads, site surfacing, site security, storage and workshop facility, weighbridge, fencing, site control centre and welfare facilities
The Proposed Application will also seek authorisation for the compulsory acquisition of interests in and rights over land, the temporary use of land, and the overriding of easements and other rights
Consultation
The Applicant carried out statutory consultation in relation to the Application from 25 June 2019 to 6 August 2019 but did not publish the statutory notice in Lloyd’s List or an appropriate fishing trade journal as required under the Regulations. This Notice is being published in Lloyd’s List and Fishing News Weekly to rectify this omission and to seek representations from those who may not have had an opportunity to respond earlier. This consultation is taking place from 10 August 2020 to 10 September 2020. In addition to this statutory consultation, the Applicant is also carrying out further non-statutory consultation during the same period
Preliminary Environmental Information
The Proposed Development is ‘EIA development’ for the purposes of the Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017. This means that the proposed works constitute development for which an Environmental Impact Assessment is required. Accordingly, the Proposed Application will be accompanied by an Environmental Statement containing information about the likely significant environmental effects of the Proposed Development
During the 2019 statutory consultation, preliminary environmental information was included in a Preliminary Environmental Information Report (the ‘PEIR’) and summarised in a non-technical summary of the PEIR. Since the PEIR was prepared there have been changes proposed to the project. The Applicant has therefore prepared a leaflet summarising these changes. This leaflet is available to view and download free of charge on the project website (www.bostonaef.co.uk) A copy of the leaflet can also be obtained free of charge until 10 September 2020 by contacting the Applicant using the details set out at the end of this notice
The PEIR, together with the consultation leaflet, plans, maps and other documents, which show the nature and location of the Proposed Development (the ‘consultation documents’) are also available for inspection free of charge on the project website at https://www.bostonaef.co.uk/consultation/ from 10 August 2020 until 10 September 2020
Electronic or hard copies of the consultation documents can be ordered using the contact details set out at the end of this notice. A reasonable copying charge may apply up to a maximum of £250 for the full set of documents and £10 for an electronic copy on CD or USB stick
Information Events
The Applicant is holding information events but due to COVID-19 limitations on public gatherings, it is not possible to hold public exhibitions as was previously done. However, in order to ensure that your questions can be answered, the Applicant is hosting two webinars and, for those without access to a computer, a telephone surgery. Details of when the webinars and telephone surgery are taking place are set out below. Please book your place using the contact details set out at the end of this notice
Webinars
Each session will last between 1–2 hours, depending on the number of questions from the public. These are taking place on—
Webinar 1: Tuesday 11 August 2020 at 12.00pm
Webinar 2: Thursday 20 August 2020 at 12.00pm
Telephone Surgery
These are 15 minute slots where you can speak directly with a member of the project team
This is by appointment only. An additional session may be arranged if this is required
Please check the project website for the latest information
Telephone Surgery:Wednesday 26 August 2020 10.00am–4.30pm
Responding to the Consultation
Any person may comment on the Proposed Development or otherwise respond to this publicity. Responses must be received by 11.59pm on 10 September 2020. When providing your response, please include your name and address or, if you would prefer your comments to be anonymous, your postcode only. Please also confirm the nature of your interest in the project
Responses can be submitted in the following ways—
Website: By completing a Comments Form on the project website at www.bostonaef.co.uk
Email: By emailing consultation@bostonaef.co.uk
Freepost: In writing to Freepost RTLY–RLGH–GKSE, Boston Alternative Energy Facility, 25 Priestgate, Peterborough, PE1 1JL
The Applicant will have regard to all consultation responses before submitting its application for a DCO to the Secretary of State
Copies of your comments may be made available to the Planning Inspectorate, the Secretary of State and other relevant statutory authorities so that your comments can be noted. Personal details are not placed on the public record and will be kept confidential
Your personal details will be kept securely by the Applicant and any appointed agent of the Applicant in accordance with data protection legislation and will be used solely in connection with the consultation process and the Proposed Application. Your personal details will not be passed to any third parties except as noted above. Respondents do not have to provide any personal information, but this information will help the Applicant to understand the range of responses, and to provide updates about the project and the outcome of the consultation
Please note that the deadline for receipt of consultation responses on the Proposed Application is 11.59pm on 10 September 2020
Contacting the Applicant
The project website (www.bostonaef.co.uk) contains all relevant and current information about the consultation and the Proposed Application
If you have any questions about the consultation, Proposed Development, Proposed Application or wish to request copies of any of the consultation documents, please contact the Applicant using the following details :
Email: consultation@bostonaef.co.uk
Post: Freepost RTLY–RLGH–GKSE, Boston Alternative Energy Facility, 25 Priestgate, Peterborough, PE1 1JL
Telephone: 0800 0014 050
Alternative Use Boston Projects Ltd
6 August 2020
