Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, godfather to Prince George and a close friend of Prince William, is facing a backlash from residents and farmers in Buckinghamshire over plans to lease 15 acres of his Hornage Farm estate to Acorn Bioenergy for what would become England's largest biogas-to-grid anaerobic digestion plant. The scheme, which converts organic waste into gas for the national grid, has divided opinion because while its backers say it offers a green energy solution, critics argue it would blight the countryside with heavy traffic, pollution and noise.

Campaigners, including the group Say No to Acorn, warn the project would bring an estimated 30,000 HGV journeys carrying 150,000 tonnes of organic material through nine villages, damaging roads and safety, while also risking toxic run-off into local waterways. A neighbouring farmer branded the plan "completely inappropriate", and Conservative MP Greg Smith has formally objected to Buckinghamshire Council, which has received 1,125 objections and is due to vote on the proposal on Wednesday. Aubrey-Fletcher and Acorn Bioenergy defend the scheme, saying it would supply enough renewable gas to heat 9,500 homes and has been shaped by years of community consultation, with no objections from the council's statutory consultees.