Plans have emerged for an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant on part of the former RAF Oulton airfield, near Aylsham.

Bluestone Biogas has submitted the proposal to Broadland Council to build the facility on land off The Street to convert crops like maize into a renewable energy source and fertiliser.

In the planning documents it said the crops fuelling the plant would be sourced within a 15 mile radius of the site, dependent on rotations and availability of supply.

Once the feed is broken down, it will produce biogas (methane) which can be pumped directly into the gas network and biofertiliser to help new crops grow.

An aerial view of the former RAF Oulton Airfield where the AD plant is proposed (Image: Google Maps)

The company held a public consultation about the proposal where the local community raised a number of concerns - with the main one being additional traffic.

It has been predicted that during the peak time of harvest in July, there may be 109 daily HGV trips which will then decrease to around 28 per day outside harvest time.

These will be restricted to 7am to 7pm during normal operations and 7am to 9pm during harvest.

In response to the concerns, the developer suggested a new route south of the site to join the B1149 so the traffic would avoid using The Street.

The plan which shows the layout of the site if it is approved by the council. (Image: PDC)

However, Norfolk County Council and Highways considered The Street to be the preferred option so instead the developer has proposed restrictions on site traffic.

Odour fears were also raised but Bluestone has confirmed as no waste products will be used, there is no odour associated with the raw materials and very little with the production process.

Biofertiliser will then be kept in "fully covered and sealed storage" before it is transported off the site.

Bluestone Biogas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Future Biogas, one of the largest and most experienced operators of biogas plants in the UK.

The elevations of the site as shown in the planning documents. (Image: PDC)

The site at RAF Oulton, which was built during the Second World War and was used to house heavy bombers, spans 46 acres of agricultural land.

Throughout the war, the nearby Blicking Hall was used to house the officers and airmen where a museum now stands with a collection of objects and documents donated by families whose relatives served there.

The airfield was closed for operations in 1946 and finally decommissioned in 1949.

In 2015, plans for a solar farm on part of the site - west of the proposed AD plant - were approved with the understanding it would run for 25 years.

But in 2024, Broadland Council approved an amendment to the plans which allows the solar farm to remain in operation until 2065.

© Eastern Daily Press