Work on the planned gas turbine power station at Meaford could get under way in 2017, with the centre in full operation by 2020.
Meaford Energy Limited (MEL) – a joint venture between Glenfinnan and St Modwen, has now submitted its Development Consent Order (DCO) application to the Planning Inspectorate for the Meaford Energy Centre power station at the Meaford Business Park.
The application will now be reviewed and then, if accepted, will progress to examination. The Planning Inspectorate is the Government body responsible for receiving and appointing the examining authority for ‘Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project’ applications such as the MEC.
The MEC represents a £300 million investment in the local economy and will use gas and steam to produce electricity flexibly and efficiently. As well as generating electricity, the power station will:
- Provide 30 highly skilled permanent local jobs
- Create up to 800 construction jobs over three years
- Deliver the catalyst to progress the development of Meaford Business Park, creating further jobs in the area
- Reduce the area’s reliance on imported electricity and improve its energy security.
The submission of the application follows a statutory consultation which took place in summer 2014 and subsequent review of the feedback received by the project team. MEL would like to thank all those who participated. The feedback received during the statutory consultation process was then reviewed and taken into consideration to refine the design of the MEC. The statutory consultation and the feedback received is documented in the Consultation Report that has been submitted as part of the application.
The application is now being reviewed by the Planning Inspectorate over the next 28 days to check all the necessary documents have been submitted to allow for examination. Once the DCO Application is accepted the process for examination will commence.
Rupert Wood, Director of Meaford Energy Limited, said: “We are very pleased that we have reached this important milestone in the consenting process to deliver the Meaford Energy Centre. This is a key proposal to deliver electrical generation where it is needed as older, outdated power stations continue to close. The Meaford Energy Centre will help meet the UK’s energy needs and just as importantly unlock the development of the Meaford Business Park.”
If accepted, the examination process will take at least 15 months. If approved by the Planning Inspectorate, construction could begin in late 2017 with the Meaford Energy Centre in full operation by 2020.
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