£50m Biofuel Plant Approved to Power UK’s Biggest Transport Project

A £50 million renewable energy facility that will produce sustainable fuel for the UK’s largest infrastructure scheme has been given the green light.

Medway Council has approved plans for a major expansion of the Syntech Biofuel plant at Kingsnorth Industrial Estate on the Hoo Peninsula. The development includes a new 1,600 sq/m production building and supporting infrastructure to convert waste cooking oil into advanced “smart biofuel” — a low-carbon alternative to traditional diesel.

Tom Bingham, CEO of Syntech Biofuel, described the investment as a major milestone for both the company and the local area.

“It’s the most sustainable fuel currently made in the UK and can directly replace diesel,” he said. “We primarily serve the construction sector, helping to decarbonise it. This expansion will help us supply fuel for the Lower Thames Crossing, working with contractors on that project.”

Mr Bingham added that local political leaders had strongly backed the scheme.

“We’ve had great support from Medway Council leader Vince Maple and Rochester and Strood MP Lauren Edwards. This project is a key step in our growth plan and will bring around 200 direct jobs to the region,” he said.

The upgraded site will also feature a dedicated research and development centre, creating an additional 20 skilled positions.

“Innovation is central to what we do,” Bingham added. “The new facility will have a dedicated R&D and science team exploring further advances in fuel technology.”

Syntech Biofuel, one of the UK’s leading producers of low-carbon fuels, currently supplies construction, logistics, and transport industries. The approved 1.05-hectare site will include processing tanks, electric generators, landscaped green areas, and biodiversity improvements.

The expansion was designed by Out the Box Architecture, with planning consultancy Nexus Planning securing council approval on 13 October.

Andy Somerville, director at Nexus Planning, said:

“We’re delighted to have achieved consent for this forward-looking development, which highlights the vital role renewable fuels play in the UK’s transition to a low-carbon economy. It will breathe new life into an underused industrial site, creating green jobs and driving innovation in Medway.”

The Kingsnorth facility forms part of a wider £130 million national investment, including a second site near Grangemouth in Scotland. Syntech currently produces around one million litres of biofuel each month and aims to double its capacity within a year.

The biofuel will help power construction of the £10 billion Lower Thames Crossing — a new tunnel linking Kent and Essex beneath the River Thames, designed to ease congestion at the Dartford Crossing. Originally proposed more than a decade ago, the project was formally approved earlier this year and is now overseen by Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander following its transfer from National Highways.