Flaxby Park’s development Director Matt Johnson plans to power new homes with heat from Allerton Waste Recovery Park.
The company behind plans to build 2,750 high quality homes, along with a retirement village, two primary schools, a health centre, sports facilities and a hotel at Flaxby, has revealed plans to use the energy generated by a neighbouring waste recovery centre to heat its new development.
Flaxby Park Ltd has received confirmation from Amey, the company that operates Allerton Waste Recovery Park (AWRP), that it would welcome the opportunity to support its plans for a district heating scheme.
The scheme would take the steam, or very hot water, from the incinerator at AWRP, via an insulated pipeline that would run under the A168 and A1 to Flaxby Park, where a heat exchanger in every property would convert the piped heat into water at an appropriate temperature to flow round a conventional central heating system. Amey also wish to explore the sale of electricity, generated at its plant, to Flaxby Park for the development’s lighting and power.
Chris Musgrave, from Flaxby Park Ltd, the development firm that bought the former golf course in 2016, said: “This is an exciting prospect and we are delighted to have reached this milestone after months of talks.
“The debate over where the new settlement should be located is currently raging, as Harrogate Borough Council’s draft Local Plan undergoes a thorough examination and our ability to use the energy generated by AWRP is a real benefit that should not be overlooked.”
AWRP opened in March 2018 and the new facility is reducing the amount of household waste going to landfill in North Yorkshire by 90%. By burning the waste which remains after separating the recyclables and treatment of organic waste, it produces steam to feed an electricity generating turbine that makes enough electricity to supply about 40,000 homes. Amey operates the Recovery Park on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council and the City of York Council.
David MacBrayne, from Amey, said: “Following an initial review, we consider the proposals (district heating for Flaxby Park) to merit further investigation and we look forward to working with them to progress the proposals.”
The proposed district heating scheme would not only serve the 2,750 new homes, but up to 174,375 sq ft of communal facilities at Flaxby Park, as well as, potentially, the 580,000 sq ft of employment buildings at Flaxby Green Park, rather than the waste heat being lost to the atmosphere.
The initial feasibility report into the proposal has been produced by district heating design and build specialist Vital Energi, of Blackburn, and Wildblood Macdonald, the Architects and Master-Planners for Flaxby Park.
Michael Wildblood, from Wildblood Macdonald, said: “It is tried and tested technology and Vital Energi is currently engaged in installing a similar system to heat houses from the new incinerator in East Leeds. Amey is obliged by its planning permission and its environmental permit to seek customers for its ‘energy from waste’ and have to report every two years to the North Yorkshire County Council on its efforts to achieve these objectives.”
CEO of Harrogate Chamber, Sandra Doherty, added: “This partnership between Flaxby Park and Amey is yet another example of why Flaxby is the desirable location for a new settlement. As it is now part of responsible planning with the option of sourcing its heating and electricity from a source that would otherwise see this valuable resource lost to the atmosphere. It’s the right side of the A1, which gives it a definite Harrogate feel. Its position opposite a direct employment site and the proposal that the developer will re-open Goldsborough railway station and build a park and ride facility all gives the Flaxby Park proposal a big positive from my view point.”
For further information about Flaxby Park visit www.flaxbypark.com.