A retrospective planning application for a fire water tank at Barry Biomass has been withdrawn.

An application for a retrospective (S73A) planning permission for a cylindrical fire water tank at the Barry Biomass Facility had previously been made.

The tank, approximately 10m in diameter and 10.2m high, has a maximum total volume of 800m3.

It has been in place since January 31, 2018, but was not part of the 2015 planning permission.

The tank is painted in 'albatross grey' to match the main structure of the development.

It is constructed of bolted steel sections on a reinforced concrete base.

The design and specification of the tank follow the BS EN 12845:2015+A1:2019 guidelines, a technical document that refers to firefighting storage tanks used for insurance and loss prevention purposes.

The fire water tank is a mandated requirement of the EPR Permit and a legal requirement for the safe operation of the facility.

These requirements, along with increased fire safety insurance measures, were not in place when the 2015 planning permission was granted, hence the retrospective planning application was made.

The applicants also withdrew an appeal application for the discharge of conditions 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 25 & 29 of Planning Application 2015/00031/OUT, which was an application for a wood-fired renewable energy plant.

The plant had an enforcement notice served on it in 2021 by the Vale of Glamorgan Council after a number of discrepancies were found with its approved plans.

Biomass UK has always argued that the notice is inaccurate and disproportionate.

Earlier this year, the Vale of Glamorgan Council had to pay Biomass UK No.2 Limited costs for an appeal Biomass lodged against a council enforcement notice placed on the incinerator, which was quashed in August 2023.

A decision report by Planning and Environment Decision Wales stated that Biomass UK had "indicated information was provided to the Local Planning Authority both before and after the service of the enforcement notice, which confirmed that enforcement action was unnecessary, that the characterisation of the breach was incorrect, and the requirements were excessive."

The decision report went on to say that "proper investigation and consideration of the breach by the LPA was lacking."

The council, however, maintains that "despite the decision, they will continue to take enforcement action against the plant, if needed."

In March 2024, the council rejected a retrospective application for a wood-fired renewable energy plant.