Omega Proteins have submitted a planning application to Westmorland and Furness Council for the Installation of a new 25 meter tall chimney stack. The application sets out the company plans for the installation of the 25 meter tall metal chimney stack to serve a new gas thermal oxidiser at the Penrith factory.
The new chimney will be located at the rear of a large trailer shed constructed in 2019 to the north of the site located between Greystoke road and Mile Lane.
The application says that the lower part of the chimney will not be visible due to a recently constructed Biofilter screening it but upper section of the stack would be visible, rising about 11.8 metres above the ridgeline of the adjoining multi-fuel oxidiser tipping shed.
The proposed oxidiser stack according to the application is identical in its appearance and function as another chimney that was approved and installed in 2022.
A company representative submitting the application to Westmorland and Furness council said “Omega Proteins is pursuing a programme of substantial investment in the Penrith plant to ensure the continued resilience of the business, provide support for safe working practices and to deliver continued environmental compliance and renewal of buildings, process lines and odour abatement systems.”
“The chimney stack detailed in this application is needed to serve a new gas-powered thermal oxidiser - oxidiser B - which is proposed to be installed on the site to complete the replacement of ageing oxidisers with modern, more fuel-efficient plant.”
The company has also said that in parallel with the planning application Omega has provided details of the proposed new stack and its likely emissions to the Environment Agency as part of a proposed variation to the site’s Environmental Permit. Presently, the permit variation application is being validated by the Environment Agency after which a consultation will be issued by the Environment Agency.
Westmorland and Furness Council have not yet opened the planning application for public consultation but plans listed for an officer delegated decision are available via https://goto.penrith.town/Omega-new-chimney-planning-application
The images show the site from Mile Lane with a mock-up representation of a chimney at the proposed location in the second image.