Fresh hope for incinerator campaigners

Campaigners opposing the proposed incinerator in Westbury have been given fresh hope after the Government confirmed that the project has not yet entered its construction phase.

The clarification came in correspondence between Westbury MP Dr Andrew Murrison and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which the MP described as “most encouraging.”

The news follows concerns raised by campaigners in March over whether work on the £200 million Northacre site had begun in time to ensure the planning permission remained by its statutory expiry date of 21st February this year.

Wiltshire Council said that it had, but new doubts have arisen after the exchange of letters between Dr Murrison and Defra.

In the correspondence, Defra Minister Mary Creagh has told Dr Murrison that there are 53 operational EfW plants in England, with a further 11 under construction but not yet operational and 15 with planning permission.

Dr Murrison subsequently asked whether the Northacre project was included among the 11 plants described as being under construction.

In reply, James Cruddas, Deputy Director of Circular Economy Waste and Recycling at Defra, confirmed that it was not. He said, “We understand that while ground works may have begun, the project has not yet moved into the construction phase due to outstanding contractual arrangements needing to be finalised.”

White Horse News has asked Wiltshire Council what these ‘contractual arrangements’ are but has not received a reply at the time of going to press.

Dr Murrison said the response provided further encouragement to those opposing the scheme.

“It confirms that Defra does not count the minor works on the incinerator site at Northacre as construction,” he said. “In other words, the site merely has the status of having planning permission.

“In her earlier letter, Minister Creagh points out that, in reality, few so-called Energy from Waste plants with planning permission end up being built. Westbury is firmly in that space.

“I will do all in my power to ensure that Westbury, its residents and businesses are not blighted by the planned incinerator at Northacre. To that end, this latest response from Defra is most encouraging.”

The latest clarification does not, in itself, mean that the Northacre planning permission has lapsed and Wiltshire Council has previously said that it is satisfied that work carried out at the site was sufficient to implement the planning permission, despite local campaigners disputing this.

Asked whether the Government’s statement that Northacre had not entered the construction phase changed the council’s position, the council said its previous statement from March this year remained accurate.

Their statement at the time from Cllr Adrian Foster, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, said, “Our Planning Enforcement Officers are closely monitoring work at the Northacre site. We are satisfied that the work carried out so far falls within the definitions set out in planning legislation and is sufficient to implement the planning permission granted for the Energy from Waste facility…We will continue to monitor the site as the project progresses.”

The Government has also made clear that it does not intend to retrospectively revoke any planning permissions already granted.

The proposed facility has faced sustained opposition from residents and local councils including Westbury Town Council, but was approved on appeal by the Government’s Planning Inspectorate in February 2023 after being refused by Wiltshire Council.