NORTHACRE Renewable Energy Ltd (NREL), who are planning to build a waste incinerator in the town, has begun groundwork at the site on Northacre Industrial Estate.
A final decision on whether the company’s latest plans for a moving-grate incinerator can go ahead is expected in July. However, NREL was previously granted permission by Wiltshire Council for an alternative energy-from-waste facility and as a result, they can begin on-site preliminary work.
NREL’s previous application to build an energy-from-waste facility in Westbury was using advanced thermal treatment (ATT) technology. As the ATT application is set to expire on 17th June, local anti-incinerator campaigners have suggested that NREL are starting work on the previous application as a way to influence the current application, which was deferred by Wiltshire Council until next month.
Dan Gmaj from Westbury Gasification Action Group/ No Westbury Incinerator (WGAG) said, “I believe that this action by NREL is simply an illegitimate flexing of the understanding of consent of permission, to further confuse already hard pushed planning activity at one of the most controversial projects of national importance in Wiltshire Council’s history!
“Wiltshire Council’s planning department should therefore refuse to accept any ‘implementation or commencement’ of this permission until it is thoroughly investigated by Wiltshire Council’s team, with directives from all councillors that have knowledge of and interest in this highly controversial series of applications. Especially in the light of all recent disclosures and requirement for clarification on many connected issues of government emergency policy indications and environmental impact assessment regulations.”
Wiltshire Council says they are aware of the works being carried out at the site and “as the local planning authority, we will inspect these works as they progress.”
White Horse News asked NREL if they had any intention of completing the construction of the ATT facility or whether this was a move to influence the current application, which is yet to be decided by Wiltshire Council.
In response, a NREL spokesperson said, “NREL have initiated work that implements the 2019 planning permission and facilitates appropriate access to the site. The works are being carried out in accordance with this planning permission and the approved drawings.
“The current phase of work on the Northacre site has been in the pipeline since the beginning of 2022 and is not as a result of the Wiltshire [Council] strategic planning committee decision to defer the current application.
“In 2013, Wiltshire Council allocated the whole of the Northacre Industrial Estate as suitable for strategic scale waste management facilities. The need for this facility was established by the planning permission granted by Wiltshire Council in 2015 and again in 2019 which remains active.”
