Comment for planning application SCC/0045/23SE

37 Victoria Road Haverhill Suffolk CB9 9PS

I wish to strongly object to the proposed development of an anaerobic digester at Spring Grove Farm, Haverhill. As a resident of Haverhill, I object to this proposal on the grounds that the site proposed for this significant industrial, not agricultural, development is wholly inappropriate for many reasons. If this should it go ahead this will benefit no-one except the Acorn company and the Thurlow Estate, owned by the Vesty family. This site is designated as agricultural and this development is definitely industrial. There is no benefit whatsoever to Haverhill or Withers field, in fact quite the opposite. The company involved have no experience in running an anaerobic digester and yet they are proposing building one of the largest in the UK. There have been accidents at other anaerobic digesters where they have experience and I am very concerned that this proposed site is far to close to high-density population.. The amount of local employment that this will generate is minimal and yet I know that several companies have said that if this goes ahead they will move away from the town which will be detrimental to the area. I am also concerned at the increase of HGVs and farm vehicles on totally unsuitable roads. The A1307 already has a high accident rate and as someone who travels to work at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, this is only going to make a bad situation worse. There will be short-term and long-term traffic disruption and inconvenience as a result of this development. My children and grandchildren also live in the town and I can imagine that the unpleasant smells, especially in the summer months, will mean that we will not be able to enjoy meeting at the Meldham Washland for walks or even in our gardens. That is without the infestation of flies and vermin which are likely to be attracted to the awful smells and by-products created by the process. We are all going to suffer from light and noise pollution and this is likely to be both day and night as the plant will be working 24/7. As the plant is being built on a flood risk area I have real concerns that concreting over 31 acres of porous farmland, the risk of leaking and leaching if there is a flood into the local water course is a very worrying situation. The impact that this would have on local wildlife would be catastrophic. In conclusion I implore you not to allow this development to go ahead because I cannot see any benefit to the local area.