Public meeting hears of opposition to proposed Eglinton anaerobic digestion plant

There was a beyond-capacity attendance at a public meeting in Eglinton Community Hall which discussed the proposed “expansion and reconfiguration” of an existing operational anaerobic digestion plant near the village.

The “robust” meeting, which took place on Thursday evening, was co-organised and chaired by Eglinton resident, Mary McGuigan representing The Gathering environmental group.

Guest speakers were James Orr, director of Friends of the Earth NI, and Vincent Lusby from the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s University, Belfast.

Speaking to The Derry News following the meeting, James Orr said the “packed crowd in Eglinton demonstrated a fundamental right for local voices to be heard about what affects their local community”.

Opposition to proposed Eglinton anaerobic digestion plant expansion

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“Pollution, flood risk, climate change and how we grow food were subject to intense discussion,” he added.

“Communities have a democratic right to be heard and to influence the planning system.

“We look forward to further meetings and believe that mega anaerobic digesters need to be scrutinised by local communities.

“In our opinion, this type of technology is a dangerous distraction. We need to deal with the crisis of water quality, air pollution and the crisis of soil health.

“We need effective environmental regulation instead of false solutions such as anaerobic digestion,” said Mr Orr.
Derry City and Strabane District councillor Declan Norris (SDLP) represents the Faughan DEA, in which the proposed anaerobic digestion plant would be sited should the planning application be successful.

Following the public meeting, Cllr Norris told The Derry News: “The planners must now assess this application and, hopefully, come to the conclusion it is in the wrong place.

“Tonight’s meeting was organised to let people know the application was in the system. The meeting, which was excellent, was attended by a lot of people from the village of Eglinton,” he added.

“Going forward, I believe the people who are building the anaerobic digester should also hold a public meeting explaining why the planning application should be for the Carmoney Road site.

“Personally, I have nothing against farming or ‘green’ energy but I believe that size of plant is in the wrong place, on a small country road, which is completely unsuitable for both the HGV lorries which would be servicing the proposed anaerobic digester, and the increased volume of such traffic.

“Approximately 7,000 vehicles come through Eglinton every day, with approximately 900 travelling along the Carmoney Road - a narrow, country road. There is now a proposal to introduce more HGV lorries going up the Carmoney Road. They have to come through Eglinton to get to this anaerobic digester plant. They will not be able to go over the Mobuoy Bridge.

Opposition to proposed Eglinton anaerobic digestion plant expansion.

“This is no longer a ‘small’ digester or small farming. This is an industrial plant. My message to Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Andrew Muir is that he now needs to introduce regulations around their anaerobic digesters. He needs to investigate how these anaerobic digesters are operating and at what cost to the rural areas and the environment, versus ‘green’ energy.”

One Eglinton resident who spoke to this paper and wanted to remain anonymous said the standing room only at the meeting “proved what a huge issue this is for people in and around Eglinton”.

“We are far from the only ones. Applications for bigger and bigger digesters are in front of planners all over Northern Ireland,” they added. “People need to be asked if this is what they want for their areas, and they need to know the facts about the impact of anaerobic digestion systems (ADS) before they can come to a decision.

“Everybody knows how bad the smell is from the existing plant, when it is double the size, what will it be like?

“Heavy traffic on tiny roads, air quality, ground water pollution, there are so many unanswered questions. What are the actual benefits for local people? We don’t even know what this proposed plant is for. Is it to produce energy or process waste?

“Either way, the idea that a plant of this size could be allowed so close to people’s houses is hard to believe,” they said.

A second Eglinton resident told The Derry News, until they attended the public meeting, they had not realised the implications the proposed anaerobic digester would have for the village.

Describing the meeting as a “wake up call”, they added: “The village, over the last number of years, has seen an increase in the amount of traffic, especially lorries.

“This proposed anaerobic digester would mean more HGVs and the Carnmoney Road cannot handle a tractor and a car passing.

“I dread to think of what will be coming in from the Derry side and the Eglinton side on these lorries should this plant be passed.

“There is a small bridge where two cars can just about get past each other. Will there be spillage? What about the smell and overall safety of the people in the village?

“I also have concerns about the bio-ammonia unit. What will the air quality be like? I am asthmatic and there will be a hidden pollutant that cannot be smelled but will be inhaled.

“I am also concerned about what it means for the health and safety of those families that will be near this plant. I really feel that as a village we need to wake up,” they said.

The planning application for the anaerobic digester (LA11/2025/0566/F) was submitted to Derry City and Strabane District Council on August 11, 2025, on behalf of the Coleraine based Greenan Generation Ltd.

The company is seeking planning permission for the “proposed expansion and reconfiguration of an existing operational 500kW Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plant to include two additional digester tanks, pump building, re-orientated silage clamps, manure shed and underground effluent tank, two additional feeders, replacement farm building to contain Bio-Ammonia Recovery System (BioARS), thermal digestate drying unit and pyrolysis system (digestate processing building), bio-methane gas upgrade plant, grid entry unit, propane tanks, relocated gas flare system, weighbridge, wheelwash, impermeable yard, parking, resurfaced access lane, landscaping, earth berm, lighting, fencing and security gates, access and ancillary site works”.