Plans to construct a large-scale biogas plant near Andover have been unexpectedly withdrawn, reported Andover Advertiser.
Acorn Bioenergy Limited had submitted an application to Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) in December 2022, seeking approval for the development of an anaerobic digestion facility. The proposed plant, located on approximately 7.6 hectares of land north of Cowdown Farm in Wherwell, was set to produce biogas through anaerobic digestion and convert it into biomethane. This renewable fuel was intended to power vehicles and be injected into the national gas grid for renewable heat.
However, on Thursday, January 2, Acorn formally notified TVBC of its decision to withdraw the application.
In a response to the withdrawal request, Simon Finch, TVBC’s head of planning and building services, confirmed the application had been officially retracted, effective from January 2, 2025.
The withdrawal marks a setback for Acorn, which had initially outlined plans to import and process up to 91,000 tonnes of feedstock annually from surrounding farms and its own land. The feedstock would include energy crops like silage, rye, maize, grass, and other organic materials such as straw, poultry litter, and manure.
The facility was projected to generate around 19.75 million cubic meters of biogas per year. Along with biogas production, the plant would have produced nutrient-rich fertilisers—both solid and liquid—that could replace raw manures and chemical fertilisers in agricultural applications.
The proposed development also included plans to modify the A303 slipway to allow for a new access point to the site.
Acorn had emphasized that the plant would incorporate technology to upgrade the carbon dioxide produced during the digestion process to 99.9% purity, making it suitable for industrial and commercial uses across the UK.
The unexpected withdrawal leaves the future of the biogas project uncertain, though the company has not provided further details regarding the reasons behind the decision.
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