A PUBLIC exhibition to give people the chance to find out more about controversial plans to create an anaerobic digester in north Durham has been held.

Crookhall Community Centre, near Consett, was used for the meeting to discuss proposals for the facility to process farm crops.

Hallwick Energy has submitted plans to Durham County Council to build the machine on land near the Thomas Swann chemical plant in Rotary Way, Consett.

But some residents who live near the proposed site have raised concerns about the potential for creating bad odours and traffic problems.

Eric Armstrong, 78, from Newbell Court, Consett, said: “I do not think it is right. It is in the middle of a housing estate virtually. How is that going to effect the valuation? Prices will go down. There is no doubt about it.

“It will smell, whatever they say, and they cannot stop that.”

But John Curry, who lives nearby, said he welcomed the proposal.

The 55-year-old, from Crookhall, said: “It looks really good. Any concerns we had had have been allayed. There have been a lot of misconceptions.”

Hallwick Energy has said the digester is to process farm crops only and would not create a smell.

It will produce a gas flare about five metres tall, which will not be obviously visible in the context of the surrounding industrial area.

Katie Wood, a partner R and K Wood Planning, which is acting as an agent for the company, said: “The purpose of today’s exercise is to answer some of the concerns residents have.

"It has been brought to our attention that some people thought animal carcasses were going to be used and it was an incinerator. We wanted to take the opportunity to tell people that is not the case. It is to process organic material such as grass and barley.”

Planning officer Chris Shields, of Durham County Council, said a decision on the application was likely to be made in July.

He said: “We are still accepting consultation from the public so if anyone has got any comments they can still send them to us for consideration.”