Our Plans - What's Changed?
We’re consulting on our improved plans over the coming weeks. Please take the time to read our consultation tiles below and share your feedback here.
The improved plans will maintain or increase all of the project’s benefits while reducing the impacts. This is a plan to benefit the rural economy in Hampshire, supporting local farmers and the environment. The proposals also deliver renewable energy, tackling the Climate Emergency and reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
Having benefited from previous local feedback, we are confident that our forthcoming planning application will overcome many former concerns, and we are committed to improving it further where we can with the help of your input.
1. Hello and Welcome
Acorn Bioenergy has launched a consultation on its improved proposal for its renewable gas generation facility that retains all of the scheme’s benefits while addressing local concerns.
We would be grateful if you would take a couple of minutes to complete our feedback form to let us know your thoughts on the improved plans.
About us
Acorn Bioenergy is a team of professionals from the engineering, agricultural and energy sectors. The team members at Acorn have decades of experience in developing renewable biomethane gas generation plants across the UK.
Our business ethos prioritises the reuse of materials, prevents the over extraction of finite natural resources and reduces the disposal of waste. It is an excellent example of an exemplar circular economy.
We are a business with a sustainable purpose. We exist to help create a zero carbon future by developing and operating renewable energy projects that benefit the environment and improve our energy security.
Acorn Bioenergy is bringing forward sites like Cowdown Green Energy across the UK in line with government goals to develop renewable biomethane gas generation plants to accelerate decarbonisation. We’re working to provide 25% of the UK’s biomethane supply. This renewable green gas will heat homes across the country and reduce our dependence on foreign gas supplies.
You can see our project team for Cowdown Green Energy here.
2. Community Fund Offer
Alongside the national benefits that Acorn’s projects bring in terms of energy sustainability, security and affordability, we also believe in sharing benefits locally. Not just by driving new investment in local farming and the rural economy, but also supporting community projects that matter to local people.
Acorn Bioenergy will establish a fund to provide investment into local community initiatives. This is separate to the planning process and would make available up to £500,000 throughout the lifetime of the project.
3. About the Site
Our site is located on land south of Andover and the A303.
We have chosen this location due to its proximity to the existing national gas grid network, its excellent strategic road access and proximity to other existing large scale infrastructure such as the Cowdown Solar Farm and the A303/A3093 junction interchange.
There are also many nearby farming businesses which can supply feedstock.
We will have minimal visual impacts on neighbours, and is not at risk of flooding.
Site History
We put forward a previous proposal for such a development on this site in December 2022. Subsequently, this has been withdrawn and we have been working with the local council and the technical statutory consultees to amend the scheme and remove any perceived impact.
We met with Goodworth Parish Council, Andover Town Council, Upper Clatford Parish Council, TVBC Councillors for Anna Ward and the Hampshire County Councillor for Test Valley Central Division, together with members of the public. During this meeting, improvements to the scheme were agreed.
Following this, we submitted the revised application in March 2025.
4. How we’ve improved our plans
We are bringing forward an improved proposal that retains all of the scheme’s benefits while addressing local concerns.
Onsite gas injection: we can directly inject renewable gas into the existing national grid infrastructure.
Air quality: we’ve reduced the number of covered lagoons from 3 to 2. This reduction, combined with new technology helps to minimise any Air Quality impacts.
Reduced the number of tanks: the original plan included five tanks which have now been reduced to three
More natural fertiliser: we will use improved technology to generate more from fewer inputs.
Reduced the tank heights: the original plan had all five tanks at 16.5m high, now only one is at this height with the other two tanks limited to 9m
More landscape planting: in addition to the planting proposed in the original scheme, we have added extra tree planting along the site’s southeastern boundary
Improved safety on public highway: at the request of the County Council we have redesigned the access to and from the A303 junction onto Cowdown Lane which will provide additional safety to local residents.
Enhanced wildlife: as well as retaining existing trees our proposals will deliver significant gains to biodiversity
5. Reduced landscape impact
We’ve listened to the feedback from our previous application and taken steps to reduce the impacts of the proposal, with fewer tanks, most of which are lower, minimising the impact on the landscape, but kept all the benefits to the environment and the rural economy.
The buildings at Cowdown Green Energy won’t look out of scale from the type of structures, such as barns, often seen on commercial farms, such as Cowdown Farm which is just south of the site.
6. Maximising the benefits
Through a complete redesign of the scheme, our new proposals maintain or increase all of the benefits for clean energy and the rural economy, but significantly reduce the height and visual impact of the proposals.
Our revised plans include:
Generating enough renewable gas to heat the equivalent of over 9,000 households;
Decarbonising energy generation and agriculture, essential to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and tackling climate change;
Providing a secure and affordable source of energy, and reducing our dependency on imported gas from volatile parts of the world;
Creating approximately 100 FTE jobs spread over the construction period while endevouring to fully ulitise local contrators where possible;
Providing 15 Full Time Equivalent jobs (5 on site) during operation, while supporting a further 35 further Full Time Equivalent jobs created in the supply chain;
Increasing biodiversity of habitats by 35% and increasing hedgerow provision on site by 62%, far higher than the 10% legal requirement.
Proposed site plan
7. Improving Highway Safety
The revised application proposes highway modifications for Cowdown Lane which adjoins directly onto the A303 and indirectly A3093, including lane tapering to meet highway safety requirements. The proposed site access has been designed to allow an HGV to gain access whilst an HGV awaits egress. This would avoid queuing and HGV backup on Cowdown Lane and onto the associated A3093/A303 network.
Additionally, proposed access to the facility would be via a new priority T-junction connecting with the western side of Cowdown Lane, to be staggered with an existing farm access on the eastern side of the carriageway.
Furthermore, important highway upgrades include the provision of a central island on Cowdown Lane to prevent right turns onto the A3093, and the existing central reserve on the A3093 will be closed to prevent right turns onto Cowdown Lane. This is crucial for improving safety on the local road network.
8. How is Biomethane Gas generated?
Anaerobic digestion is a method of generating renewable energy by breaking down organic material to produce biogas and natural fertiliser. There are currently over 700 operational anaerobic digestion sites in the UK.
Acorn Bioenergy uses agricultural material for our facilities, including break crops from rotations and manure. By using only agricultural material, never food waste or sewage, we generate clean energy while avoiding unpleasant odours.
The organic material, fed into the facility is broken down by microbes. This produces:
Biomethane, a green fuel which can directly heat homes;
Green CO2, which can be used by industry to replace CO2 derived from fossil fuels;
Natural fertiliser, which will be used on nearby farms, replacing imported artificial products.
9. Site location
Our new plans are designed to ensure safe and sustainable access to the site.
Crucially, local farmers will be contributing our feedstock and taking our natural fertiliser, limiting the miles that delivery vehicles travel on roads. By using our product, farms can reduce the amount of imported artificial fertiliser they use, cutting their environmental and traffic impacts.
Additionally, the green gas produced at Cowdown Green Energy can be injected directly into the gas grid onsite.
If you’re a local farm interested in becoming a supplier, get in touch here.
10. Working with the community
Supporting Local Farming
We will work hand-in-hand with the local farming industry, providing local farmers with guaranteed revenue and natural fertiliser.
Cowdown Green Energy will take organic material, including crops from rotations and manure, from local farms to feed the plant. The same farmers will benefit by receiving the natural fertiliser produced at the end of the gas generation process. This will reduce the amount of expensive and imported artificial fertiliser that local farm businesses need to buy, improving soil health and storing more carbon.
Creating Jobs
Our plans will also create 15 Full Time Equivalent jobs as well as further roles in construction, and support 35 further jobs through the supply chain. We also welcome interest from local suppliers for Cowdown Green Energy - email us at enquiries@acornbioenergy.com to register your interest.
Respecting our neighbours
We have designed our proposals to ensure that there are no unacceptable impacts on local people. In addition to landscape improvements, our plans also address, and where possible improve:
Odour – Acorn Bioenergy do not use any of the food waste or sewerage feedstocks that can generate unpleasant odours. Any farmyard manure will be transported in enclosed vehicles and will be kept in an odour-controlled building as soon as it arrives on site. Additionally, all lagoons on site will be covered as is required by regulation.
Transport – Our site has good access to the A303. We have carried out extensive transport assessments to make sure we’re not causing problems on the local network. Additionally, we have redesigned the access onto Cowdown Lane which will provide additional safety to local residents.
Flooding – The site is not at high risk of flooding and we have prepared a strategy to ensure surface water is managed sustainably.
Nature – We will enhance nature on the site with wildflower planting and habitats for wildlife to thrive, as well as retaining existing trees. The land isn’t currently home to many species, and our plans will change this for the better, delivering a net gain in biodiversity.
Farming for a Greener Future
The below document highlights our commitment to renewable biomethane generation, turning agricultural waste into clean energy while supporting farmers, rural communities, and national sustainability goals.
11. Next Steps
We want to hear your views as we enter the planning process with our improved proposal. Over the coming months we will be reviewing your feedback and further evolving our plans in line with responses from you and other consultees.
You can share your feedback here or by emailing enquiries@acornbioenergy.com
Indicative Planning Timeline
Winter 2024
Consultation launched on new plans
Summer 2025
Planning decision expected
Spring 2025
Improved planning application to Test Valley Borough Council submitted.