KINGSCLERE Parish Council has expressed disappointment that it was not consulted at an earlier stage about plans for a biomass processing plant at Greenham Common.

Energy firm Torftech Energy, which is based in Thatcham, is behind plans to create the plant in Greenham Business Park and has applied to West Berkshire Council for planning permission.

The biomass needed to fuel the renewable energy plant will be sourced from within a 30-mile radius, and there are concerns this could have an impact on Kingsclere roads.

Councillor John Sawyer told a meeting on Monday: “The clerk has sent a letter to West Berkshire Council saying we were concerned that as neighbours we were not informed of this formally.

“The timescales make it almost impossible to respond to an extremely complex proposal.

“On the face of it, it’s a good thing for the environment, but we did express some concerns about passing traffic.”

The site would process biomass and waste to produce renewable forms of energy, at a gasifier, south of Buckner Croke Way, on a brownfield site that currently stores processed materials.