Image: National Highways
A £50 million renewable energy facility that will supply fuel for the UK’s biggest transport project has been approved for construction.
Medway Council has granted planning permission for the expansion of the Syntech Biofuel plant at the Kingsnorth Industrial Estate on the Hoo Peninsula. The project will see the creation of a 1,600 sq/m production building and supporting infrastructure to transform waste cooking oil into advanced smart biofuel—a sustainable alternative to traditional diesel.
Tom Bingham, CEO of Syntech Biofuel, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the investment represented a major milestone for both the company and the region.
He said: “It’s the most sustainable fuel made in the UK today, as a drop-in replacement to diesel.
“We work predominantly for the construction sector to decarbonise that industry. We are looking at building out this site to help facilitate the fuel for the Lower Thames Crossing for the major contractors on that project.
“So we’ve been very well supported by Vince Maple (Lab), leader of Medway Council, as well as Lauren Edwards (Lab) [MP for Rochester and Strood].
“And this is one of the stepping stones as part of our growth plan that will ultimately mean about 200 direct jobs come into the area.”
The expanded facility will also include a dedicated research and development (R&D) centre, creating 20 additional skilled jobs.
Mr Bingham added: “We’re constantly looking for new alternatives, new improvements to the technology and so we’ve invested very heavily in the science and R&D of what we do.
“It’s been all part of the process to date, but the new facility will have a dedicated R&D and science team looking at all of those new innovations.”
Syntech Biofuel, one of the UK’s leading producers of low-carbon fuels, supplies biofuel to sectors such as construction, logistics, and transport.
The approved plans will see the 1.05-hectare site fitted with processing tanks, electric generators, landscaped green areas, and biodiversity features. The design was led by Out the Box Architecture, while planning consultancy Nexus Planning secured approval from the council on 13 October.
The new Kingsnorth facility forms part of a £130 million national investment, which also includes a second site near Grangemouth, Scotland. Syntech currently produces around one million litres of biofuel per month, with plans to double capacity by next year.
Andy Somerville, director at Nexus Planning, said:
“We’re delighted to have secured planning permission for this forward-thinking development, which reflects the growing importance of renewable fuel technologies to the UK’s low-carbon economy.
“The project will revitalise an under-used industrial site while supporting green jobs and sustainable innovation in Medway.
“We worked closely with Syntech Biofuel, Medway Council and the wider technical team to ensure that the scheme delivers environmental, economic and operational benefits in line with local policy and the National Planning Policy Framework.”
The Lower Thames Crossing, a £10 billion infrastructure project, will link Kent and Essex via a tunnel beneath the River Thames, easing pressure on the Dartford Crossing. First proposed over a decade ago, the scheme was approved earlier this year and is now overseen by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, following the transfer of responsibility from National Highways.
