Slough, Planning Notice

The Slough Multifuel Extension Project

Notice Of Acceptance Of An Application For Development Consent For The Slough Multifuel Extension Project

The Planning Act 2008 - Section 56 'Notifying persons of accepted application'
The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 -Regulation 9 'Publicising an accepted application'
The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 - Regulation 16 'Accepted application - publicity and consultation for EIA development'

Planning Inspectorate Reference: EN010129 The Application
1. Notice is hereby given that the Secretary of State ('SoS') for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has accepted an application (the 'Application') for development consent made by SSE Slough Multifuel Limited (the 'Applicant'), whose registered office is No.1 Forbury Place, 43 Forbury Road, Reading, RG1 3JH, under Section 37 of 'The Planning Act 2008' (the 'PA 2008'). The Application was received by the Planning Inspectorate (acting on behalf of the SoS) on 30th September 2022 and accepted for examination on 26 October 2022. The reference number assigned to the Application by the Planning Inspectorate is EN010129.

2. The Applicant is seeking development consent (made in the form of a 'Development Consent Order' or 'DCO') for the extension of the existing consented Slough Multifuel Facility (the 'Consented Development'), an energy from waste electricity generating station, including associated development on land at Edinburgh Avenue, at the Slough Trading Estate, Slough (the 'Proposed Project'). Development consent is required for the extension as it falls within the definition and thresholds for a 'Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project' ('NSIP') under Sections 14(1 )(a) and 15(1) and (2)(a) to (c) of the PA 2008, being the extension of an onshore electricity generating station in England which, when extended, will have a capacity of more than 50 megawatts fMW).

3. Following the acceptance of the Application by the Planning Inspectorate, pursuant to Section 51 of the PA 2008 the Planning Inspectorate issued the Applicant with a letter dated 26 October 2022 containing advice regarding proposed revisions to the draft DCO. In response to this advice the Applicant has submitted an updated draft DCO, Revision 2.0, and an updated Explanatory Memorandum. These documents, and the Planning Inspectorate's letter, are available along with the original Application documents and can be accessed as described below.

Summary of the Proposed Project
4. The Proposed Project Site (the 'Site') comprises land either side of Edinburgh Avenue, at the Slough Trading Estate, Slough, SL1 4TU (located a grid reference 495372, 181446). The Site lies entirely within the administrative boundary of Slough Borough Council and extends to 2.8 hectares in area.

5. The Proposed Project comprises works to increase the efficiency and output of the Consented Development from just under 50MW peak electrical output to up to 60MW peak electrical output. The Consented Development was originally consented in June 2017 under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 ('TCPA') (Planning Permission Refs. P/00987/051 (being a Section 73 variation of P/00987/024 and P/00987/035) and P/00987/025, P/00987/052 and P/19876/000), and is currently being constructed at the Site. Construction of the Consented Development is well advanced and is expected to be completed by Quarter 4 2024.

6. The Proposed Project is an extension to the Consented Development comprising the carrying out of the following physical works (Work No. 1 at Schedule 1 'Authorised Development' of the draft DCO submitted as part of the Application) to achieve the increase in peak electrical output of up to 60MW:

a) a boiler primary air preheating system comprising heat exchanger bundles, pipework, valves, pipe supports, thermal insulation, instrumentation, cabling and containment;

b) a boiler secondary air preheating system comprising heat exchanger bundles, pipework, valves, pipe supports, thermal insulation, instrumentation, cabling and containment; and

c) mechanical modifications to the actuated stream turbine inlet control valve to allow steam capacity to be increased.

7. The physical works comprised in the extension are 'engineering operations' and therefore 'development' for the purposes of Section 31 of the PA 2008.

8. It is the extension which is the NSIP pursuant to Sections 14(l)(a) and 15(1) of the PA 2008, and the development forming part of the extension (being the Authorised Development), which requires development consent pursuant to Section 31 of the PA 2008. The Consented Development is not an NSIP, nor does it form part of the Application.

9. The Proposed Project also includes associated development within the meaning of Section 115(2) of the PA 2008, including temporary construction laydown areas, contractor facilities, vehicle parking and cycle storage facilities.

10. The Proposed Project will not increase the throughput of waste, vehicle movements, emissions, or operating hours of the Consented Development, and will not alter the scale or external appearance of the consented buildings and structures.

11. In addition to development consent, the extended generating station will require an ancillary authorisation to 'operate' at over 50MW pursuant to Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. This is included in the draft DCO, which forms part of the Application.

Environmental Impact Assessment
12. The Proposed Project is an Environmental Impact Assessment ('EIA') development under The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 (the '2017 EIA

Regulations'). The Application therefore includes an Environmental Statement (and a Non-Technical Summary) that reports the findings of the EIA undertaken.
Inspection of the Application Documents
13. The application form and its accompanying documents, drawings, plans and maps (including the draft DCO, the revised draft DCO version 2.0 and the Environmental Statement) comprising the Application (the 'Application Documents') may be inspected free of charge at the public venue specified below or by downloading them either from the Planning Inspectorate's website or the Applicant's website using the links below.

14. The Application Documents can be viewed and downloaded free of charge on the 'Slough Multifuel Extension Project' page of the Planning Inspectorate's website, at:

.

proiect/?ipcsection=docs

15. When accessing the above link to the Planning Inspectorate's website, please select the 'Documents' tab to access the full suite of Application Documents.

16. The Application Documents can be viewed and downloaded free of charge on the Applicant's website at:

sloueh-multifuel/ by selecting 'Our DCO application' from the drop-down menu.

17. The Application Documents will be available for inspection on the Applicant's website until at least the date on which the SoS makes a decision on the Application, expected 0.1/Q2 2024. The Applicant does not control the duration of time the documents are available on the Planning Inspectorate's website.

18. Regulation 9 'Publicising an accepted application' of 'The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 (as amended)' no longer requires that an applicant for development consent makes hard copy documents available for inspection at an address in the vicinity of the relevant project. Whilst not required to, the Applicant has made the Application Documents available at the following local public venue within the vicinity of the Site:

Library @ the Curve
William Street, Slough SL1 1XY
The Application Documents will be available to view at the above address until 23rd December 2022.
Please note the following opening hours of the above address:
Monday: 10am - 5pm Tuesday: 10am - 7pm Wednesday - Saturday: 10am - 5pm Sunday: Closed
19. For enquiries in relation to the Application Documents, and if you require alternative methods for inspecting the Application Documents, please telephone 0800 335 7003 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) or email:

. Any details you provide to

us will be subject to our Privacy Policy (

.

). Hard copies of the Application Guide and Environmental Statement Non-Technical Summary are available upon request free of charge. All other Application Documents, including plans, reports, and any chapters, appendices and plans from the full ES, will be charged based on page count at a rate of approximately £0.50 per A4 page and £1.00 per A3 page, up to a maximum of £200. Alternatively, a USB stick containing the Application Documents can be supplied and posted to you for a maximum charge of £10; please allow at least one week for receipt of documents/a USB stick.

Commenting on the Application
20. Any representations (giving notice of any interest in, or objections) about the Application must be made to the Planning Inspectorate using its Registration and Relevant Representation Form. This Form is available to complete via the following link to the Planning Inspectorate's website:

nnineinspectorate.

proiect/?mcsection=relreps

21. A paper copy of the Registration and Relevant Representation Form can also be obtained from the Planning Inspectorate and returned by post. If you request a paper copy of the Form from the Planning Inspectorate, please ensure there is enough time for the Form to be sent to you and for you to post it back to the Inspectorate before the deadline for responding expires.

22. If you require guidance, or other methods, to obtain and complete a Planning Inspectorate Registration and Relevant Representation Form, please telephone the Planning Inspectorate on 0303 444 5000 or email

The postal address for the Planning Inspectorate (for the return of Forms) is: The Planning Inspectorate, National Infrastructure Directorate, Temple Quay House, Temple Quay, Bristol, BS1 6PN.

23. Any Registration and Relevant Representation Form must be received by The Planning Inspectorate no later than 11.59pm on 23rdDecember 2022.

24. Further information about registering as an Interested Party is available in Advice Note 8.2: How to register to participate in an Examination on the Planning Inspectorate website at

legislation-and-advice/advice-notes/.

25. Representations will be made public and will be subject to the Planning Inspectorate's Privacy Policy at:

planning-inspectorate-privacv-notices/customer-privacv-notice.

SSE Slough Multifuel Limited November 2022