Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, a close friend of Prince William and an adviser to the Duchy of Cornwall, is facing opposition from local residents over plans to lease 15 acres of his estate in Buckinghamshire for a large biogas project. The land, part of Hornage Farm within Aubrey-Fletcher’s Chilton Home Farms, is proposed to host what would become the largest biogas-to-grid digestion plant in England.

The project, developed by Acorn Bioenergy—a subsidiary of Spanish private equity firm Qualitas Energy—aims to convert organic materials such as agricultural waste, purpose-grown crops, and food waste into biomethane gas through anaerobic digestion. The captured methane-rich gas would be processed and fed into the national gas network, with the company stating the plant could supply renewable gas sufficient to heat approximately 9,500 homes.

Despite the potential contribution to renewable energy and efforts to address the ongoing energy crisis, local residents and campaigners have voiced strong concerns about the plant’s environmental and community impact. Opponents highlight that the facility would generate a significant increase in heavy goods vehicle (HGV) traffic—estimated at around 30,000 trips—across nine nearby villages, raising fears over road safety and the capacity of local infrastructure. John Brown, whose farm borders the proposed site, criticised the project, suggesting it would rely heavily on biomass transported over long distances and doubting the rural area can handle the influx of vehicle movements.

A group campaigning under the name Say No to Acorn also expressed worries about potential damage to the surrounding landscape and heritage, as well as unresolved issues relating to water supply, pollution, odour, noise, and the technical viability of the project’s environmental benefits.

In response, Acorn Bioenergy and Aubrey-Fletcher have issued a joint statement asserting that the planning process, which has taken place over four years, has included community consultations and incorporated feedback to mitigate adverse effects. They maintain that the proposals aim to balance environmental sustainability with benefits for local farmers and residents, and that no unacceptable impacts on the community are anticipated.

The local council is scheduled to meet soon to decide whether to grant planning permission for the project, marking a key step in determining whether the biogas facility will proceed amid the divided views.