Energy system for Cranbrook area progresses

But nearby residents are blighted with problems

Developers will make a £6 million contribution towards Cranbrook and the West End of East Devon becoming zero carbon, hopefully ending the frustration of residents who say they have been faced with endless power outages.

Residents in Monkerton, Tithebarn and Westclyst say the power cuts leave them without heating or hot water. The areas, together with Cranbrook, are heated by a district heating network provided by E.ON. People living there say the system is blighted by problems, and some have bought plug-in electric heaters as they don’t trust the heating system.

A proposal has been submitted based on securing a connection from an Energy from Waste plant to both the Cranbrook/Skypark and Monkerton heating networks.

East Devon District Council’s planning committee has backed proposals for a district energy network will meet a zero carbon standard that will ultimately connect 12,000 homes and 2m sqm of commercial space.

There is a requirement for all homes to be connected to a district heating network as part of the planning strategy for Cranbrook and the neighbouring Skypark commercial development, with all homes tied into a contract with EON.

The first permanent energy centre at Skypark was commissioned in 2013 and a second energy centre, currently under construction at Monkerton, is due to be commissioned later this year.

Planning permission for the energy centre had previously been granted and that in recognition of the need to ensure that the district heating network would meet increasingly stringent carbon performance standards for the first 2,900 homes at Cranbrook, the section 106 legal agreement attached to the planning permission included the provision of a solid biomass Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system.

But with the benefit of further technical advice, councillors heard that it was accepted that the gasification and pyrolysis technologies, which it was hoped would be scalable, as well as being more efficient and lower cost than traditional steam based technology, had not matured sufficiently in the decade since the section 106 agreement was negotiated to provide a reliable way forward.

Instead, the energy from waste (EfW) plant at Hill Barton, which is due to start construction this summer and be operational by 2023, is the preferred method of providing the district heating network.

In light of the revised plans, councillors agreed to convert the obligation to install solid biomass CHP in to a financial obligation to be fixed at £6m, which will be taken as a payment in kind in relation to the extra over costs for the rerouting/future proofing of the Eastern Transmission Main which to be delivered in 2021/22.

Area covered by district heating network

The future proofing of the Eastern Transmission Main and its use to serve the expansion areas is critical to making sure that a key policy provision of the Cranbrook Plan can be achieved and that the ongoing roll out of district heating is both seamless and cost effective.

And Cllr Kim Bloxham, who represents Cranbrook, said this should solve the issues of the interruptions some residents have where their heating supplies are cutting out.

She added: “This reflects the views of the town to drive forward with a low carbon solution and it deliver the much needed the Eastern Transmission Main to ensure the eastern part of Cranbrook and its Eastern Expansion is well served with district heating, as without the main, we will continue to have interruptions to supply to some of the residents from the temporary energy centres.

“Low carbon is essential and this presents a way forward for delivery and a pathway to deliver an alternative form of heat and I look forward to working with officers to take this forward.”

The meeting heard from Andy Wood, service lead for growth, development and prosperity, that utilising waste heat from the EfW plant will therefore bring forward the timing of the transition away from gas, the inclusion of the Monkerton network, which will ultimately serve 4,600 homes as well as Exeter Science Park, and will both add scale and achieve accelerated carbon savings,

He added that the future proofing of the Eastern Transmission Main and its use to serve the expansion areas is critical to making sure that a key policy provision of the Cranbrook Plan can be achieved and that the ongoing roll out of district heating is both seamless and cost effective.

Councillors, with one abstention, voted to note the further technical work that has been undertaken to support the delivery of low and zero carbon development in the West End of the District and agree the principle of the proposed Deed of Variation for the £6m payment in lieu of the CHP.