Work to begin building the nearly seven-hectare (17 acres) site at Park Grounds Farm is expected to begin in the new year. It will be built next to an existing landfill operation near Brinkworth Road.
Mike Eborne, technical development director at Eco Sustainable Solutions, said the site will offer a “vital sustainable solution for Wiltshire’s upcoming food waste collections”.
The plant will process household food by removing contaminants before breaking down microorganisms which then creates a biomethane gas that can be fed into the network.
The leftover material is nutrient rich and can be used as a fertiliser for farmers’ fields, Eborne added.
Councillor Threlfall said: “My residents have lived with sulphurous smells from the landfill site for a long time and are worried this will exacerbate the problem.”
Threlfall said some people were “deeply anxious” about the site, but that “encouraging steps” have been taken to minimise disruption.
On the issue of potential bad smells, Eborne said: “They shouldn’t really smell it… everything is sealed and there’s an odour treatment at the back end”.
The facility will run around the clock, although deliveries will be limited to 07:00 to 19:00 on weekdays and 07:00 to 15:00 on Saturdays.