MP and residents visit anaerobic waste site similar to plant planned for Winwick
A SIMILAR anaerobic waste digestion plant to the one that is planned in Winwick has been visited by the village’s MP and residents.
In January, Severn Trent announced that it proposes to build an anaerobic digestion facility on a field adjacent to Highfield Road and junction 22 of the M6 in Winwick.
Anaerobic digestion facilities break down organic waste to produce biogas, which can be used as a renewable energy resource.
The firm initially said that such a site is needed for Warrington’s new food waste collection scheme.
As previously reported, Warrington Borough Council’s cabinet approved the purchase and delivery of caddies to enable a roll-out of food waste collections from April 1, 2026, in order to meet statutory requirements.
The collections will take place weekly and take the number of bins for Warrington residents to three, or four if they subscribe to green bin collections.
A a public consultation, Severn Trent reportedly confirmed that it will not be processing residential food waste from Warrington, as WBC is said to already have a contract elsewhere, but it was said that Severn Trent would hope to in the future.
Severn Trent says that the facility would be able to recycle up to 75,000 tonnes per year of separately collected food and organic waste, generating up to 7MWth of green gas for export to the national grid.
News of the planned site was met with backlash from councillors, residents, and Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols.
Ms Nichols said that she planned to meet with Severn Trent to raise concerns about the plant, saying she ‘understood and sympathised with constituents’ concerns’.
These included worries about smells, as well as the potential impact on a nearby Bronze Age burial ground.
Now, Ms Nichols and a group of residents have visited a similar Severn Trent site to the one planned in Winwick.
The MP said: “It was good to visit the Severn Trent Green Power North London site with residents of Winwick on a fact-finding trip to see an operational anaerobic waste digestion site, the most similar to the proposed plans for Winwick of their existing sites.
“Another residents’ visit will be taking place next week. Thank you to Severn Trent for organising the transport, and for showing us around and taking questions.
“It is always one thing to see plans on drawings and slideshows, but it is difficult to grasp things, like a sense of scale and what the issues might be, without seeing a site in person to make an informed decision.
“The planning application has not yet been made, but I would encourage all residents to take part in the consultation when it is open, which I will provide updates on in due course.
“In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns about the proposals, please email me at [email protected] and I can contact Severn Trent on your behalf for answers.”
