Campaigners celebrate after gasification plant vote

CAMPAIGNERS celebrate as updated plans for the Hills gasification plant have been refused recommendation by Wiltshire Council; the application will now go to the Secretary of State for a final decision.

Six councillors voted against and four voted for the changes to the Hills Waste Solutions Ltd planning application for an Advanced Thermal Treatment facility at Northacre in Westbury, at a strategic planning meeting at Wiltshire Council on Wednesday 18th July.

The grounds for refusal were not due to environmental issues, but were because of the 30%+ increase in size from their original application in 2014. Wiltshire Council says that as a result, the site is not big enough to accommodate the scale and mass of the new plans.

The decision has already been ‘called in’ by the Secretary of State, which was announced before the debate and vote. This means that the government will have the final vote on whether the plans will be accepted.

On the refusal Margaret Cavanna, member of the Westbury Gasification Action Group said, “Great result for the action group! Members of the Westbury Gasification Action Group opposing the ATT plant were at County Hall yesterday to hear the debate on the planning application.

“Although it was very limited in who could speak, views were represented by several members of the public, Westbury, Dilton Marsh and Unitary Councillors. A very lengthy discussion took place, with some twists and turns, but we are so pleased that the councillors showed themselves to be highly responsible in making the difficult decision to go against the planning officer’s recommendations.”