VALE MP Alun Cairns has published the letter he received after writing to Aviva in regard to the Biomass UK No.2 Ltd permit to operate application.

The Aviva letter states that the renewable power plant - which converts waste wood into electricity - will have “a number of benefits to the community, namely the supply of renewable electricity for households and local businesses”.

“Once completed, it will meet the energy needs of approximately 23,600 households, sufficient for the population of Barry,” it continues. “This has also created around 100 jobs in the construction phrase, and once fully operational there will be up to 20 full time staff at the site.”

“We understand some members of the local community have concerns, and we would like to assure them of our commitment to meeting the highest environmental and safety standards throughout the life-cycle of the project.

“The plant will use waste wood that would otherwise go to a local landfill, and the technology is recognised and encouraged by the UK government as being an efficient means of generating power.”

The letter goes on to say that “a comprehensive and detailed air quality impact assessment has been carried out which demonstrates that air quality impacts from the facility will be negligible”.

It then reads: “All pollutant concentrations will remain well below air quality objectives set for the protection of human health. Emissions will be free from smoke. The facility will also operate to strict emission limits which will be monitored and enforced by NRW through the Environmental Permit.

“The facility will be fitted with the latest abatement technology and a continuous emissions monitoring system. This will automatically shut down the plant should any part of the emissions control or plant fail, therefore ensuring the protection of the surrounding environment.”

In terms of a fire risk the firm says that “the plant has an exhaustive fire prevention strategy that has been approved by insurers specialising in the insurance of biomass power plants. The result is that the biomass plant will present little fire risk and comprehensive measures are in place to control such residual risk.”

Mr Cairns said he was “not satisfied” that the letter recognises people’s concerns and added: “I wholly disagree with their claim that the incinerator ‘has a number of benefits to the community’.”