THE UK’s first agricultural biomass feedstock plant will be built in Newport, councillors decided yesterday.

Vogen Energy Limited won permission from the city council’s planning committee to build the bulk drying and pelleting facility, which will have its own on-site energy centre, at Alexandra Docks, Pill.

The £50 million centre will be used to dry out materials, such as wood chipping, using a natural gas-powered turbine.

This will in turn create heat and electricity to power the centre, with any excess energy being fed back into the national grid.

The plant could process up to 1,000 tonnes of material a day, which would come into the site by train or ship. The facility will create around 40 construction jobs and 45 long-term jobs.

Councillors turned down the firm’s plan to build a facility to turn crude vegetable oil into energy in 2009 due to health concerns.

A public inquiry was due to be held into the matter later this year, but that application will now be withdrawn.

At yesterday’s meeting, a spokeswoman for campaign group Newport Against Biofuel, said residents were concerned about the plant’s potential effect on health and the environment and the lack of consultation.

Vogen Chief executive Harvey West accused the group of “scare mongering” and added: “We are bringing direct jobs, direct development into the community and our proposals have been well received.”

Pill councillor Ron Jones said there had been extensive consultation with residents and said he was happy to support the plans.

The application was passed by six votes to one.