FULL STORY: Middlewich incinerator plans scrapped by Cheshire East Council (From Middlewich Guardian)

FULL STORY: Middlewich incinerator plans scrapped by Cheshire East Council

9:30am Wednesday 28th April 2010 in News By David Morgan

FULL STORY: Middlewich incinerator plans scrapped by Cheshire East Council

DELIGHTED campaigners have won their year-long battle against plans to build an incinerator in Middlewich.

Cheshire East Council’s planning committee unanimously rejected Covanta’s controversial proposal at a heated three-hour debate on Monday.

But campaigners may have not won the war as Covanta is appealing against the decision.

More than 200 people crammed into Middlewich Civic Hall to hear the outcome and town leaders and protestors were given the chance to speak their mind.

Brian Cartwright, chairman of Cheshire Anti-incinerator Network (CHAIN), said: “Where there is doubt we should play safe and use the precautionary principle.

“We should be mindful here of past mistakes and remember such catastrophies as asbestos and thalidomide.

“The decision could go as far as to determine whether investment in Middlewich took a quantum leap forward or started an inevitable decline.”

Covanta’s application, which prompted 3,300 letters of objection and two letters in favour, was thrown out on five grounds.

The councillors said that the application has not been identified as part of the Waste Local Plan, a need has not been established and the proposal is unsustainable as it would require waste exports.

It was also decided that the visual impact of the incinerator, which would have an 80m chimney, would outweigh the benefits and Covanta has not demonstrated how energy will be exported from the site.

In the Waste Local Plan it says that provision is needed to dispose of 387,000 tonnes of waste a year.

Steve Molloy, who specialises in minerals and waste for Cheshire East’s planning department, added: “We already have waste facilities in Cheshire that far exceed this figure.

“There is no need for this facility. Despite requests, Covanta has not proved its application is more suitable than the other waste plant applications.”

Gary Halman, planning consultant for Covanta, was quizzed on where the waste would come from.

He said: “It’s impossible to say 100 per cent in any case because waste can travel between boundaries but the plant would only process the majority of Cheshire’s waste.

“Only material which is appropriate and safe to burn will pass into the site.”

But residents were angry that Covanta’s safety record in America was not taken into consideration.

The potential health risks of the plant were also dismissed.

Mr Malloy added: “Health has been at the forefront of most people’s minds during making representations.

“But the Health Protection Agency and Primary Care Trust have made no objections to the proposal.”

Nigel Curtis, of Cheshire East’s highways department, also said the plans would have a ‘negligible’ impact on the roads.

This was despite figures showing that if the incinerator was approved a forecasted 146 HGVs would make 292 journeys to and from the plant a day.

Clr Mike Parsons, of Middlewich Town Council, said: “I suggest the planning committee take a closer look, especially at peak times.

“This is completely unsuitable with how things are at present.

“On the subject of Covanta’s safety record - apparently we’re not allowed to discuss this - but if the council was a corporate body would we not vet our suppliers?”

After the meeting, Mr Cartwright said: “I am very glad that common sense has prevailed. This is a typical example of something which should never have been considered in the first place.

“No one in this room approved of the scheme apart from Covanta’s man.”

But Malcolm Chilton, managing director of Covanta, said: “Covanta believes that not one of the grounds for refusal is justified, and the benefit were not sufficiently examined.

“It is worthy of note that in raising no objection on either health or traffic grounds, the view of the planning board is consistent with the Primary Care Trust, the Health Protection Agency, the Environment Agency, the Highways Engineer and the Highways Agency.

“In light of this decision, Covanta will be proceeding with an appeal.”