A NORTH Suffolk brewery's plans to convert its waste into fuel for its delivery vehicles looks set to go ahead after planning officers recommended it be approved.

A NORTH Suffolk brewery's plans to convert its waste into fuel for its delivery vehicles looks set to go ahead after planning officers recommended it be approved.

Adnams in Southwold has applied to build an anaerobic digestion plant next to its distribution centre which is a few miles away in Reydon.

The innovative plan would see both food waste and leftovers from the brewing process broken down by micro-organisms and turned into liquid fertiliser and compressed natural gas.

The gas, which is also known as biomethane, can be converted into vehicle fuel or to put energy into the National Grid.

The digestion plans would reduce the amount of food waste being sent to landfill as well as providing a green source of fuel.

A report into the plans said that food waste from pubs, hotels, schools and food processing companies would be delivered to the Halesworth Road site at a rate of around eight lorry loads every day meaning the plant would process about 12,500 tonnes of waste a year.

The waste treatment centre, which is at the north of the distribution centre, could also be used for educational visits from local schools.

Planning officers have suggested a number of conditions alongside the recommended approval including banning deliveries of waste on Sundays or bank holidays and a number of pollution control measures.

The application has the backing of Southwold Town Council and Waveney District Council, as well as Suffolk Wildlife Trust.

The distribution centre was designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible and has the largest sedum glass roof in the UK with solar panels that provide 80pc of the building's hot water.

Members of Waveney District Council's development control committee will discuss the plans and make a decision at their meeting on December 3.