THE controversial energy-from-waste incinerator application is set to be debated by Wiltshire Council next week and local people are being urged to show up to protest against the plans.
Westbury town councillor, Mark Bailey, is appealing to people to protest against the incinerator application at a meeting of Wiltshire Council’s Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) on Wednesday 27th July at County Hall in Trowbridge at 10.30am.
At the April SPC meeting, climate action groups, anti-incinerator groups, Westbury town councillors and concerned residents all protested the application outside the county hall, and there is expected to be a further protest when the SPC meets this month.
Following debate by Wiltshire councillors at the meeting in April, the SPC committee chair, cllr Howard Greenman, called for a decision to be deferred. He explained there had been ‘material changes’ to the application in the nine months since the plans were previously approved. The SPC is also waiting for the outcome of the Government’s consultation on environmental targets – which includes a consultation on residual waste targets for 2042.
However, NREL (Northacre Renewable Energy Ltd) who plan to build the energy-from-waste incinerator, say this government information will not be available in time.
Westbury will be represented at the upcoming SPC meeting by the three Westbury unitary councillors, cllr Gordon King, cllr Carole King, and cllr Matt Dean. Westbury town councillor, Mike Sutton, will be the spokesperson for the town council and cllr Jane Russ also intends to speak.
Continuing the fight
Cllr Mark Bailey, who has been working behind the scenes with the town council’s legal representatives to discuss the best way to oppose the application said, “Westbury does not want or need this incinerator and we would urge all local residents to keep up their opposition and maintain the pressure on Wiltshire Council by lobbying and writing to the members of the SPC before the meeting this month and by turning up to protest on the day.
“Westbury Town Council is ready to continue the fight against this incinerator and we have dedicated funds and resources to that end.”
Since the previous SPC meeting in April, Westbury Town Council has been keeping the issue of the incinerator in the public eye with their campaign, ‘Westbury Still Says No!’ supported by banners around the town. Alongside this, the town council say they have been keeping up their opposition to the incinerator plans and preparing for the SPC meeting in July.
Experienced legal team
Cllr Bailey added, “We have engaged an experienced legal team, Leigh Day, who are experts in environmental and planning law, and a specialist barrister to advise and present our case. They are currently also working with a further specialist in planning, who is examining the application for possible additional challenges based on planning legislation.
“Alongside this, Leigh Day are writing to the SPC to question whether they should even be making a decision in advance of the publication of new government environmental targets and are preparing to respond in detail to the latest planning officer’s report when it is issued as part of the agenda for the meeting.”
NREL recently appealed for ‘non-determination’ of their plans saying that, as the plans have been in determination since August 2020, Wiltshire Council has failed to determine the application within the statutory period.
NREL also say that as the Wiltshire Council committee will not have the information they are waiting for before the meeting, the committee will likely not determine the planning application either way and the plans will be delayed even further.
As NREL have made an appeal about the length of time Wiltshire Council has been making a decision, the council has confirmed that responsibility of the application will likely be taken from them and a government inspector will be appointed instead.
However, Wiltshire Council previously told the White Horse News that it will, “still be necessary for Wiltshire Council to determine how it would have decided the application if the decision-making responsibility had been left with the council.”
Cllr Bailey added, “Individual councillors will also be writing to all the members of the SPC urging them to reject the application. We will be focussing on the environmental impact, the health impact and the issue of local democracy.
“One of the main reasons the Secretary of State chose not to call in the application was stated as a belief that ‘local communities’ should make their own decisions on planning issues, however over 2,000 local residents along with 19 local and parish councils and local businesses including Arla, our largest town employer, all objected to the incinerator and their views were ignored.
“Tellingly at the last SPC meeting there were many speakers against the incinerator but, apart from employees of NREL, there was not one independent supporter.”
The SPC are meeting at County Hall in Trowbridge on Wednesday 27th July at 10.30am.
