A GREEN energy park could be built, creating 60 full-time jobs and hundreds during construction, at the former Richborough power station site.

Richborough A Ltd, owner of the 300 acre site on the A256 near Ramsgate, has commissioned a plan from BFL Management Ltd for the park, which could include a recycling plant for household, commercial and industrial waste, timber for chipping, tyres for granulation, fridges, electronics and batteries.

Other waste will be used in biomass and gasification plants – where it is converted through heat rather than incineration into electricity.

Proposals also include an anaerobic digester plant to break down waste such as that from food and gardens by using bacteria in a tank, turning it into compost and fertiliser.

Approval for the same type of plant at the former Otterpool Quarry in Sellindge has provoked anger from residents who presented a 2,000-signature petition to Kent County Council in March, outlining objections about the volume of traffic in and out of the plant and the possible smells that could be generated.

A National Grid interconnector, using undersea cabling, will provide power to Belgium and vice versa. The National Grid has committed to invest £400 million in capital costs and grid connections.

In a letter sent out to residents in Ash, BFL development director Gary Lever said: "We have instructed a professional team to assist in developing a masterplan for a world-class energy park, using a variety of sustainable renewable energy sources.

"We are very keen to ensure our plans and aspirations for the site are drawn up in conjunction with Kent County Council and the local authorities, Thanet and Dover, as well as local residents and interest groups."

BFL is asking residents to fill in an online survey giving their views on the project and what issues they want to be taken into consideration.

A spokesman for BFL said: "It is at the really early stages and we want to find out what local residents think before we draw up plans ahead of submitting an application."

BFL says the site will serve one million homes, bring a brownfield site back into use and help combat the landfill shortage in Kent and reach the county's recycling target.

The company will hold a public exhibition next month to put the master plan and residents' responses on display and hopes to submit planning applications by August.

Find out more, or fill in the survey, at www.rich boroughenergypark.co.uk, e-mail richboroughinfo@cascadepr.co.uk or call Emma Waterfall on 020 7868 5530.