In rationalising the internal plan into a more compact and efficient arrangement, the bulk of the plant was able to be contained in a silver clad, barn-like volume with a crisply detailed curved roof.
The striking impact of the building’s industrial form is softened by grass banked enclosures and a screen of poplar trees. This is a large-span building which responds to its technical requirements and country setting with an appropriate architectural vernacular.
The power station utilises poultry litter as a fuel source. The underlying principles are relatively simple. The UK poultry farming industry produces over 1.5 million tonnes per annum of redundant litter, a composite of woodshavings, straw and poultry droppings. Historically, its disposal has caused significant environmental problems – the droppings release polluting nitrates that pass into the water supply, as well as atmospherically damaging methane. Yet it is both easy to handle and burns well, making it an excellent, if underexploited, source of fuel.
