July 30, 2018 2.43 pm This story is over 77 months old

Council denies backing petition against ‘Smelly Skelly’ plant

It’s to go through the planning committee
Updated proposals for the Skellingthorpe animal rendering plant will see the community hub pictured above removed.

North Kesteven District Council has denied any involvement in a petition objecting to the £30 million upgrade to Jerusalem Farm in Skellingthorpe.

The authority posted a notice on social media on Monday afternoon to say it was not part of the campaign and clarifying that it has yet to have its say.

The notice said: “We’ve been made aware of a petition in Skellingthorpe objecting to the development of an animal rendering factory on Jerusalem Farm, claiming the protest has been backed by North Kesteven District Council.

“This is not the case. The council is not part of the petition and has not given its support.

“As a statutory consult to the application, the matter has yet to be discussed by the authorities Planning Committee and, until this has been held, has not and will not be commenting on the matter.”

North Kesteven’s statement regarding the petition.

Lincolnshire County Council, the authority overseeing the plans, has received more than 50 responses so far, and has seen objections from Skellingthorpe Parish Council, Lincoln MP Karen Lee and County Councillor Mike Thomson who lives in the village.

There are also a number of letters with no objection from residents.

The  existing plant has earned the village an unfortunate nickname of ‘Smelly Skelly’.

The owners of the animal rendering plant on Jerusalem Farm, DS Developing, are hoping to demolish the current plant in order to build a new a new animal by-product rendering site with upgraded odour filters.

Also included in the plans are four eco-homes, a fishing lake, a public car park and the widening of the access road width for lorries.

Current tenants of the animal rendering plant, Lincoln Proteins Ltd, previously announced that they would be stopping operations to build their own £28 million factory at Norton Disney – a proposal which sparked petitions and protests from local residents.

Animal rendering is the process of converting waste animal tissue such as fatty tissue, bone or even entire carcasses of animals turned away at slaughterhouses into purified fats like lard or tallow.

This can sometimes be converted into products like rubber, plastic and lubricants, or animal feed.