PLANS for a £2m green energy plant at Carlisle Airport have moved another step closer.

A £120,000 loan will be put towards the planning application for an anaerobic digester by Brampton and Beyond Energy Ltd (BABE).

With the help of Rural Cumbria Connects, which was selected to project manage the scheme, a planning application could be submitted by autumn, with the aim of the plant generating power in two years. 

BABE chairman Tim Coombe said: “This is a significant milestone for the project. 

"After five years of debate we can now begin the serious business of turning our dream into reality."

The community benefit society recently secured a negotiable lease - lasting a minimum of 20 years - with Stobart Energy bosses for a site on the western edge of the airfield. It is triangular area of woodland Stobart plans to remove.

The plant would have a constant output of 500kW and would generate enough energy to power up to 250 homes. 

Mr Coombe thinks this is a more favourable site than one initially proposed for Townfoot Industrial Estate in Brampton, and that the power plant would bring significant long-term environmental, economic and social benefits.

He said: "It was a painful process to go through but actually we've ended up with a much more robust and positive solution, we believe.

"[This is] the next stage. It doesn't mean to say it's going to happen, but you have to overcome every hurdle as you face it so the way ahead is clear - make no mistake it's not going to be an easy project to come to fruition. 

"There are huge challenges that remain ahead but we think it's the right thing to do.

"The bottom line is that potentially, if it works, we should be generating £60,000 to be ploughed back in to the community for community benefits ."

The loan, from the Department for Energy and Climate Change's (DECC) Rural Community Energy Fund, would be written off if the project doesn't gain planning permission but this is due to be achieved by the end of the year.

The next major stage would be to raise money and find contractors and project managers for the build. 

The expected cost of building and running the plant until it begins to earn money is £2m.

Additional funding would be generated through a community share offer, which BABE intends to make available once planning permission has been granted. 

BABE's vision is to generate renewable energy on a larger scale for the benefit of Brampton and the surrounding villages. 

Mr Coombe said the site would also lend itself to having a number of micro enterprises that would exploit the surplus heat, one of which could be a small polytunnel complex growing vegetables and fruit that couldn't otherwise be grown in the Cumbrian climate.

The plant would mainly be fuelled by manure from a nearby dairy farm and silage made from grass cuttings at the airport, meaning traffic to and from the site is expected to be minimal.

Mr Coombe added that the site is situated away from houses in Irthington and BABE will work with community representatives in both Irthington and Laversdale to keep them informed over the life of the project.