Westbury’s mayor, cllr Mike Sutton, says that ‘democracy is in peril’ as campaigners are continually ignored by Wiltshire Council on decisions affecting the town.
This follows the news that the call-in request for further scrutiny of the recently approved gasification plant has been declined by central government. The facility, which has been protested against by local people and opposed by local councils, has now been given the green light to go ahead.
Last month, The Minister of State for housing, Kit Malthouse MP, decided not to call in Wiltshire Council’s decision to grant planning permission to Northacre Renewable Energy’s Advanced Thermal Treatment (ATT) plant, despite a request from MP Andrew Murrison, a detailed call-in request from Westbury Gasification Action Group (WGAG) and opposition from Westbury Town Council and other local councils.
The government found no grounds to call in the application and proposed that more decisions are to be ‘made at a local level where possible’.
Mayor of Westbury, cllr Mike Sutton said, “As with most of the residents of Westbury who had campaigned and protested against the negative effects of the gasification plant, I was disappointed at the decision by the Secretary of State not to call in the application for public scrutiny but hardly surprised.
“The whole history of the application and subsequent approvals has been one where the comments and wellbeing of the people of Westbury have been ignored and where those managing the planning process have been determined to push through approval – no matter what the consequences for the residents of our town.
“There have been three separate applications regarding this plant and had they all been dealt with at the same time, they could have been scrutinised more effectively, although the way the unitary authority (Wiltshire Council) has dealt with the matter does not inspire confidence that the outcome would have been much different.
“I quote from the minister in his letter, ‘the government believes that decisions affecting local people should be made by local people and not by government’. Nothing could be further from the truth as the unitary authority refused to listen or take note of Westbury objections, as indeed it has with most planning decisions affecting the town these past few years; massive new build with no associated infrastructure which were for the most part ignored by Wiltshire Council, despite objections from Westbury Town Council.
“There have been many examples this past year when local residents have been energized on such matters as the closure of special schools, health centres and the gasification plant and democratically have taken those protests and pleas to Wiltshire Council, only for all their arguments to be dismissed and nothing changed to reflect their concerns. Democracy itself is in peril when citizens using democratic means of argument and protest are continually ignored and then people look for other outlets which we all hope will not happen.
“Local decisions made by local people? We wish!”
Andrew Murrison MP said, “I’m grateful to the minister for looking carefully at this to see if he can intervene. Even now I urge the planning authority to see what it can legally do to reflect the concerns of residents, including insisting on the strictest conditions of operation on this unwanted, unnecessary and completely inappropriately located plant.”
Campaigners against the gasification plant say they will continue to fight and represent the community.
WGAG campaigner, Margaret Cavanna said, “We’ve had two huge disappointments in the last couple of weeks. The news regarding the extra conditions Wiltshire Council will have to place on NRE is slightly more positive. As a result of a detailed call in request we made to the Secretary of State, and the work by Andrew Murrison MP, they will have to meet more stringent requirements e.g. the operation will have to be climate positive, contributing positively to climate change, and feedstock will have to be regulated to minimise environmental impact. The worry is the reliance on Wiltshire Council to enforce the conditions.
“It’s the sad reality that the incinerator is now more likely to be built. But there is still hope on various fronts; Northacre Renewable Energy still need to apply to the Environment Agency (EA) for an operating permit and the EA may organise public meetings for questions and submissions on this; a moratorium on new incinerators, or an incineration tax, could be imposed by government; or the penny could drop with the developers that opposition is not going away. They have no ‘social licence’ in the community to build this here.”
Dan Gmaj, campaigner and member of WGAG said, “From my observations over the last year I can only conclude that the Westminster ‘circus’ has sadly delegated our community’s health and responsible recycling to the ‘clowns!’ A few encouraging checks have been added to the planning conditions, however, the failure to call-in this ATT gasification project is a massive opportunity lost, to link up nationwide action on climate emergency and current thinking on UK waste strategy.”
A spokesperson for Northacre Renewable Energy said, “We are pleased that the Secretary of State has decided that there are no grounds to call in the recent decision by Wiltshire Council.
“Northacre Renewable Energy will become an invaluable element of Wiltshire’s waste and energy infrastructure. It will generate enough renewable electricity to power 46,000 homes, while removing the need for thousands of long distance lorry journeys, by providing a local solution to non-recyclable waste.
“We are now able to plan for the construction of the facility and will work closely with local stakeholders and the community, to ensure we minimise any negative impacts, and maximise the benefits, through construction and eventual operation of the facility.”
