SGN (Scotia Gas Networks) are petitioned to stop supporting the unauthorised Crouchland Biogas Ltd. industrial gas plant by removing all SGN owned equipment installed and being used without appropriate planning permissions at the Crouchland Biogas site located at Crouchland Farm, Rickmans Lane, Plaistow, West Sussex.
Why is this important?
Why is a national gas distributor, continuing to partner with an unlawful industrial gas plant? Why does SSE, a national energy firm who own 50% of SGN, condone this? The Timeline:
• 27May16: Crouchland seeks adjournment to EA case. Worthing Magistrates Court agrees to 24 June.
• 17May16: Traffic Inquiry reconvenes. Decision pending.
• 11-12May: Appeal against Cert. of Lawfulness is heard. Decision pending.
• 29Apr: The EA announce legal proceedings against Crouchland Farms Ltd in relation to Dec 2013 pollution of the River Kird. Crouchland Farms Ltd and Crouchland Biogas are linked; Leon Mekitarian is Director of both and Angus Cameron resigned directorship of Crouchland Farms in 2013. No announcements yet on 2015 / 2016 significant pollution incidents.• 29Mar: P.O.R.E receives a letter stating “The Gas Alliance Group (including Gas Bus Alliance) no longer take any Biomethane from Crouchland Farms Ltd or Crouchland Biogas Ltd.” and threatening legal action should villagers “communicate any information ... contrary to this statement”. The signatory is Tony Griffiths, former General Manager of MAN UK bus operations.
• 29 Mar: Barry Evans resigns from Crouchland Biogas.
• 16Mar: Another significant pollution incident occurs and while a cleanup in progress, SGN disassociate themselves stating Crouchland is separate and they have no corporate responsibility for the actions of this ‘autonomous’ company. All contrary to CEO John Morea’s 2013 Annual Report to shareholders, that Crouchland was SGN's partner; and from an email to WSCC 28Aug2014 supporting the retrospective planning application, stating "Our pioneering partnership with Crouchland Biogas..." And even though SGN have a fixed and floating charge on the property and undertakings of Crouchland Biogas Ltd, a company that has had multiple breaches of their EA Permit, has caused significant and serious pollution events, is operating without planning permission and is the subject of an ongoing Traffic Commissioners Public Inquiry.
• 4Mar: Crouchland Biogas apply to the EA to vary an environmental permit involving substantial change (EPR/CB3208XJ/V002).
• 12Jan2016: Farm Fuel Ltd called to a Traffic Commissioner enquiry for breaches to their Operator’s licence, effectively using the farm as an unauthorised Operating Centre.
• Nov2015: Plaistow & Ifold and Kirdford Parish Councils –with- The Plaistow Village Trust and P.O.R.E unite in opposition to launch a planning fund for expert / legal representation at the 4 Appeals.
• Oct: Crouchland lodge appeals with the Planning Inspectorate against the Enforcement Notices (to dismantle all equipment installed without planning permission and to stop operating as a commercial biogas plant); retrospective planning refusal and the Cert. of Lawfulness.
• 1Sep: WSCC issue a Certificate of Lawfulness EXCLUDING the conditioning and export of gas, importation of waste and any other materials for anaerobic digestion and many items of development.
• 16Jul: CDC issue 2 Enforcement Notices with staggered compliance dates for cease of use of the land and 6 months for the remaining requirements (PS/13/00015/CONCOU).
• 23Jun: The Environment Agency attends a pollution incident to 1km of an adjoining farm’s watercourse which has significant impact on the ecology and the ability to water livestock.
• 16Jun: CDC inform WSCC they strongly object to granting a Certificate of Lawfulness.
• 2Jun: WSCC pass CDC responsibility to investigate and serve Enforcement but are clear that multiple breaches of planning have occurred.
• 26May: Crouchland apply for a Certificate of Lawfulness for the proposed use as an AD facility with UNRESTRICTED throughput of imported waste or other material and the export of gas and digestate (WSCC/036/15/PS).
• 7Apr: WSCC issue a Decision Notice REFUSING retrospective planning.
• 4Mar-To Date: Despite planning refused, expansion continues. Ofgem confirm SGN Commercial Services owns equipment enabling gas conditioning and exportation in 'Farm Fuel' HGVs to SGN’s Portsdown Hill, Portsmouth injection facility.
• 3Mar: WSCC planning committee REFUSE the retrospective application on multiple grounds.
• WSCC receive 431+ objection letters (including from 7 Parish Councils / CPRE) and 1050+ people sign a petition, requesting refusal of retrospective planning.
• Unauthorised commercial operations continue with extremely high numbers of HGV and other traffic movements through Parishes.
• Oct2014: Inexplicably, WSCC Planning Officers withdraw enforcement notices leaving communities exposed to continued, excessive and inappropriate activity and HGV movements.
• 4Jul: Crouchland submit a retrospective planning application (WSCC/042/14/PS).
• May: The respected Crouchland Farm Manager (former NFU Deputy) resigns.
• Apr: WSCC serve 2 Enforcement Notices (against the erection of unauthorised anaerobic digestion equipment and the change from an operation ancillary to a farm use, to a waste use) requiring the illegal commercial activity to cease.
• Mar2014: After years of complaint of the expansion by stealth and material-change-of-use from an agricultural, farm-related operation into a waste development WSCC serve a Planning Contravention Notice.
• Mar2013: SGN sign a 20year contract BEFORE Crouchland obtain planning permission.
• 1Jan-Jun2013: Professional investors join as directors and/or shareholders: Barry Evans and Ewen ‘Angus’ Cameron (a cousin of PM David Cameron).
• 2012: Plaistow & Ifold Parish Council notify CDC of development/engineering works being undertaken without planning.
• 16Nov11: Leon Mekitarian appointed Managing Director.
• 20Apr11: Crouchland Biogas Ltd. incorporation - William Luttman-Johnson (registered owner of Crouchland Farm) as Managing Director.
• 2007-2008: Crouchland dairy farm with 750 Holstein Friesians, obtains planning consent (with local support) from CDC for an On-Farm AD unit to produce electricity to grid.
How it will be delivered
An email will be sent to Scotia Gas CEO and a Press Release issued.
