Westbury marks 10 years in battle against incinerator

A decade-long campaign by Westbury residents to prevent the development of a waste incinerator in the town has shown no signs of slowing down. 

The town’s anti-incinerator group, Westbury Gasification Action Group (WGAG), bolstered by widespread grassroots support, continues to challenge plans to build the incinerator, which they argue poses significant environmental and health risks.

Since its formation, WGAG has been at the forefront of the fight against Northacre Renewable Energy’s proposal to build an energy-from-waste facility in Westbury.

Over the past ten years, the group has managed to delay the project at every turn, leading protests, lobbying local and national government, and raising awareness about the potential dangers of the facility. Their efforts have sparked one of the largest opposition movements to a planning application in Wiltshire’s history.

Despite these efforts, Wiltshire Council initially approved the incinerator in 2019. However, following widespread community opposition, a second application for an incinerator using different technology was rejected by the council in 2022. This victory was short-lived, though, as a government inspector controversially overturned the decision in February 2023, granting approval for the facility.

“We should be immensely proud of our achievements,” said WGAG, reflecting on their decade of activism. “We’ve won every single argument, and we’ve united local, unitary, and central government in our opposition. But this fight is far from over.”

The group has vowed to continue its efforts, particularly as a recent BBC report highlighted that burning household waste in incinerators is now the dirtiest method of generating electricity in the UK. With a new government in place, WGAG remains determined to continue their fight against the incinerator.

“Sorry (not sorry) to disappoint those who believe we should just roll over and accept this, because that is not going to happen here,” the group added, urging the community to stay resolute in their commitment to a cleaner, greener future.

For WGAG and the people of Westbury, the fight continues. The group remains steadfast in its message: “There must be #NoWestburyIncinerator.”