Major new composting facility approved close to Peterborough village

A major new composting facility has been approved close to the village of Eye.

The site lies just off Eyebery Road on the outskirts of the village and is operated by Biffa.

The Open Windrow Composting facility is set to compost approximately 50,000 tonnes of biodegradable waste a year. This will not include catering waste or waste containing any other animal by-products.

The waste will be placed on on a concrete pad of 200m x 128.5m and will drain surface water to two new lagoons, to the northeast and southwest.

Over a minimum of five weeks, each batch will be mechanically turned, with the waste decomposing naturally, during which compost temperatures will reach 65-80 degrees.

Further to this initial two-week sanitisation period, temperatures will be maintained to at least 45 degrees.

Finished compost product will be exported.

Operations at the site will be carried out between 7am and 6pm Monday to Saturday only.

A Biffa spokesperson said: “The use of peat for domestic gardening is being banned in the UK from 2026.

“Our composting service at Eye will take garden waste to be shredded and treated to produce a peat-free compost and soil improver, all in just 12 weeks.

“This will help local authorities and commercial organisations dispose of their green waste in a sustainable and efficient way.

“The finished product is perfect for growers and farmers to improve soil conditions for crops, vegetables, and flowers.”

A total of 20 objections were received from residents citing concerns about the smell considering the site’s proximity to homes and Eye Primary School as well as similar concerns about noise and dust.

The committee voted unanimously to approve the application subject to a number of conditions that include limiting the times the site can operate between Monday and Saturday, taking all reasonable precautions to prevent the spread of litter, no additional lighting will be built and that noise levels recorded at nearby Tanholt and America Farms should not exceed 45 decibels.