POLICE and fire chiefs have raised serious concerns about plans for a new anaerobic digestion plant.
Emergency services bosses in Worcestershire have raised concerns about the scheme, earmarked for land at Court Farm in Hindlip, near the West Mercia Police and Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service (HWFRS) headquarters.
The proposed Anaerobic Digestion Biomethane Plant (ADBP) would process around 48,500 tonnes of food waste each year, converting it into biogas.
LOCATION: Land at Court Farm, Hindlip, earmarked for an anaerobic digester (Image: James Connell/Newsquest photos)
West Mercia Police raised concerns about the potential impact on forensic and digital forensic operations at Hindlip Park, saying the activities could be severely affected by reduced air quality.
Forensic evidence contaminated
Lichfields, representing the force as well as HWFRS and police commissioner John Campion, said: “Forensic evidence cannot be contaminated by airborne particulate matter.
“Contaminated evidence could be inadmissible and discredited in the defence of suspects at court.”
The firearms and dog training units could also be impacted.
A drop in air quality could interfere with the dog’s ability to scent track, affecting their training and compliance with national standards, the police said.
Hindlip Lane access
Access to Hindlip Lane, a route used daily by officers to reach the strategic highway network and to respond to firearms incidents, could be obstructed by traffic related to the plant, it is claimed.
“Any obstruction to this access which could delay operational response vehicles going to firearms incidents could seriously impact upon the force’s operational response time and potentially lead to a loss of life in the event that officers are unable to respond quickly enough to an incident.”
Bosses say noise from the plant and heavy goods vehicle movements could disturb classroom-based training at the nearby Jacky Smith Training Centre, if staff are required to open windows for ventilation.
The proposal includes the demolition of two buildings and the conversion of existing structures for office and control room use.
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Stenergy, the applicant, submitted revised plans for the plant in October 2025 and says it would produce and inject ‘green’ gas into Cadent Gas’ Local Transmission System for use in the heating of homes and business in and around Worcester, and potentially to run vehicles.
A public consultation on the plans took place earlier this year and the scheme is set to be decided by Worcestershire County Council’s planning committee.