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Harry Aubrey-Fletcher is seeking planning permission to build England's largest biogas-to-grid facility
Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, the 44-year-old godfather of Prince Louis and one of Prince William's closest companions, is facing a wave of local opposition over his decision to lease part of his Buckinghamshire estate for what would become England's largest biogas-to-grid digestion facility.
The proposal, which would see 15 acres of his land at Hornage Farm handed over to Acorn Bioenergy, has drawn 1,125 formal objections from residents and farmers alarmed by the project's potential impact on the surrounding countryside.
Buckinghamshire Council is set to meet on Wednesday to determine whether the scheme will receive planning approval, in what has become one of the most contentious rural development battles in the county in recent years.
The facility, dubbed Hornage Green Power, would use anaerobic digestion technology to convert organic matter, including food and agricultural waste, into biogas inside sealed tanks, which could then be fed directly into the national gas grid.
Mr Aubrey-Fletcher and Acorn Bioenergy have told The Times that the plant "will help tackle the energy crisis by providing enough renewable gas to heat 9,500 homes".
To operate at full capacity, the site would require approximately 150,000 tonnes of organic material to be transported in annually, necessitating an estimated 30,000 heavy goods vehicle journeys through the rural area.
The sheer scale of the operation, positioned to be the biggest of its kind anywhere in England, has become a central flashpoint for those opposing the development.
Opponents fear the constant flow of HGVs through nine villages will deteriorate road surfaces, creating more potholes and endangering road users. Concerns about increased noise, diminished air quality, and the possibility of toxic waste contaminating local waterways have also been raised.
A spokesman for the campaign group Say No to Acorn told The Times: "The proposed plant in open countryside will create significant harm to road safety because of the exceptional burden from HGVs on rural roads. It will harm the landscape [and] heritage and leaves important questions unresolved about water supply, pollution, odour, noise, technical capacity and environmental benefit."
John Brown, whose farm borders the proposed site, described the development as "completely inappropriate". He told The Times: "Don't be fooled. What is required by the plant will be transported from miles away and I do not see how the local rural infrastructure will cope with all the increased traffic."
In their joint statement, Mr Aubrey-Fletcher and Acorn Bioenergy insisted that their proposals were "in the right place to secure benefits for the rural economy while avoiding harms". They pointed to a four-year planning process during which they said they had "listened carefully to feedback from the community".
The pair added: "We have designed our proposals to ensure there are no unacceptable impacts on local people while ensuring the best possible proposals for farmers and the environment."
They also highlighted that the council's independent statutory consultees had raised no objections to the scheme.
However, Conservative MP Greg Smith has formally written to Buckinghamshire Council expressing his opposition to the plans, adding political weight to the growing resistance from local communities.
Mr Aubrey-Fletcher and the Prince of Wales have been friends since childhood, having both attended Ludgrove Prep School before going on to Eton together.
When Mr Aubrey-Fletcher married Louise Stourton at Aldborough Parish Church in Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire, in January 2011, William served as an usher.
The Prince and Princess of Wales were among the guests, just four months ahead of their own wedding.
The youngest son of Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher, 8th Baronet and Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, he comes from aristocratic stock.
His wife, who was also present at Prince Louis' christening, is the eldest daughter of Edward Stourton, the 24th Baron Stourton.
Mr Aubrey-Fletcher was notably among the principal guests at Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle.
