District council supports community objections to new Biomass facility

The application was formally heard at a meeting of the Leicestershire County Council Development Control and Regulatory Board on 7 August 2025, and a range of concerning impacts were raised which included traffic and road safety, emissions and odour, noise, and ecological impacts.
 
The district council has recently purchased a large area of land, in excess of 130 acres, for rewilding, next to the application site and is concerned that the ecological impacts of the facility will greatly impact on the plans for nature restoration. At the meeting, Cllr Phil Knowles, Leader of Harborough District Council, made the point that these impacts have not been assessed, and the application was deferred on this basis.
 
Cllr Phil Knowles, Leader of Harborough District Council said: “We have listened to the local community in respect of this development and the message is clear that it is not in the right place. Whilst the district council fully supports the production of green energy, this cannot be at any cost. Speaking up is the right thing to do and the strength of feeling was made clear at the Board meeting as the voices of opposition to the application included councillors from various parties, the local County Member Cllr Dr Sarah Hill, residents, Harborough District Council, the Member of Parliament and the parish council.
 
“This culminated with the application being deferred due to the potential impact on the Council’s and Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust’s ‘Rewilding Harborough’ objectives. It is a site that could extend to over 500 acres as other partners pledge their interest and support to the rewilding project, which is already being described as potentially being of National Significance.”