Green energy plant to fuel 820 jobs boom

WHEAT a boost!

Up to 820 jobs are to be created as a new £200-million bioethanol plant for the town takes a step closer to fruition.

As reported, North East Planning chiefs gave the "green" light to the plans from Vireol back in July, 2008 – and now chief executive David Knibbs has announced work on building the Moody Lane plant will begin this summer.

As well as creating 70 permanent posts once the plant is up and running in 2013 – a further 750 construction workers will be required to build the massive 44 acre site.

He added that the vast majority of the new posts would be handed to local workers, who had a "good reputation" for the construction and running of chemical plants.

Mr Knibbs said: "It has been quite a tough journey to get here, but this is going to be great for the local area. It will be centred around the creation of local jobs. As far as we are concerned, we have the best site in Europe.

Mr Knibbs added that the majority of the wheat used at the plant would be sourced from Lincolnshire farmers, via local grain merchant Gleddell – providing a boost to the county's agricultural industry.

However, he was keen to quash fears that by using wheat in this way, food prices would be forced up.

He said: "The agricultural industry in the UK is not running at full capacity. Farmers are not being asked to produce as much as they physically can.

"What we can expect is that farmers will expand their production to meet the demand."

The news has been welcomed by the chairman of the Louth branch of the National Farmers' Union, John Smith.

Mr Smith, who farms in the Louth and Horncastle area, said: "This is a very exciting project, right on our doorstep, which ticks three or four major boxes.

"This is the first plant of its kind in Lincolnshire. There is already one in Teeside, and one in Hull, but they don't necessarily benefit Lincolnshire farmers, and this one will."

For more details about the plant – and local reaction – see today's Grimsby Telegraph