COUNCILLORS in Blunsdon have objected to plans to build an electricity generation facility in the village.

The proposal is to build a 20MW Flexible Electricity Generation Facility on farm land off Turnpike Road that is currently used for grazing.

According to the application, submitted by a London-based company called Site STOR Swindon, the development would “power 40,000 homes in times of high electrical demand when traditional power stations are struggling”.

But members of Blunsdon Parish Council are opposed to the plans on the grounds that the application contained “insufficient information” and the building “seems inappropriate to be near any residential dwellings”.

Parish council chairman Ian Jankinson said: “We have a number of objections to this particular plan and we requested more information before proceeding.

“We think the details are under-described and we are also concerned about the pollution aspect and the close proximity to neighbours.”

FEGFs are small-scale fossil fuel generators – which run on diesel, gas or liquefied gas – that can be brought on stream by the National Grid to meet local needs in periods of high demand.

In a statement of objection, members of the Blunsdon Parish Council said: “The delivery plan and design and access statement have conflicting information which different to the actual plan. The access route is described as Kingsdown Lane but shown as from Turnpike Road.

“The parish council is concerned about noise and environmental pollution and would expect a full environmental impact assessment to be conducted.”

The proposed area for the development is a plot on the south edge of a field of pasture land.

The application states: “The proposed site has been chosen as the applicants believe it uniquely meets the location criteria required to ensure its sustainable operation. This includes its close proximity to an existing electricity substation with the required capacity.”

It is claimed that the facility will result in “minimal environmental impact,” in terms of visual, traffic and amenity considerations. The generator would not ordinarily be working at night, as this would be outside times of peak demand. The generator is only expected to be operational for around 350 out of 8,756 hours per year, which works out at as just 3.9 per cent of a year.