THE man leading plans for a £100million power plant in Swanscombe says Kent needs an 'innovative' development like this one.

Paul Sadler, CEO of Teal Energy, is behind the plans for the Manor Way plant and has put £1million of his own money into project.

The plant will produce renewable energy from non-recyclable commercial waste and could produce enough electricity for 45,000 homes.

Plans for the 24/7 operation will be housed in two large steel-framed buildings were re-submitted to Kent County Council after some amendments and the consultation time has been extended. In his first interview Mr Sadler said: "The area we are looking at is already a place with heavy industry and is earmarked by Kent County Council for this kind of development.

"Discussions started nearly three years ago and I think Swanscombe requires regeneration.

"A £100million investment is very significant and a project like this should encourage other businesses to come to the area.

"There is no way this plant would stop the Paramount Park and this would create 40 new jobs."

Bryan Read, who has lived in Swancombe for 52 years and is the Dartford Council lead member on urban regeneration says Manor Way is the wrong place to put a plant like this.

He said: "This is not the right place for the power plant.

"There is not enough infrastructure for the high extra HGVs which would be using the plant.

"We already have low air quality any good and we don't want anything to scupper the plans for Paramount Park.

"This will only have a negative effect on Swanscombe."

The Paramount scheme will see the third-largest theme park in the world with Paramount Pictures supporting it.

In the plans Teal Energy says: "We use clean, advanced conversion technology to generate renewable energy by converting residual recyclates, the material left after a recycling process, into an energy rich gas and using this to generate electricity.

"It is considered to be a virtually carbon neutral and clean technology."

The fuel will be received and stored in one building on the northern site, which will be 2,250m2 and 36 feet high.

This will be connected by conveyor to an energy plant housed in the building on the southern site, which will be 65 feet high and be 4,247m2 with a 213 foot chimney.

Kent County Council is expected to decide on the plans later this year.

Gareth Johnson MP added: “It would be wrong to jeopardise the Paramount Theme Park proposals on the Swanscombe Peninsula.

“We need to be looking at the bigger picture and we can’t have anything that would put thousands of potential jobs at risk.”