The Telford & Wrekin Council’s website is calling attention to planning officers’ recommendation to refuse planning permission for SITA’s proposed incinerator near the Granville Landfill Site, Grange Lane, Redhill, Telford.

The decision on the application by SITA UK Ltd will be made at a special meeting of the Council’s Plans Board on Monday 7 December 2009 at 6pm.

A report to councillors highlights a number of reasons for officers recommending the plans are refused.

These include:
· The scheme would encroach into the Green Network and be visually harmful to the open character of the urban fringe;
· It would have a negative impact upon the future recreation value of the area once the landfill site has been restored to landscaped green space;
· The scheme has the potential to undermine Government and council objectives of minimising waste and would prejudice the progress of a preferred waste management strategy for the borough.
· The proposed development would be premature to any emerging waste strategy and policies and there is sufficient capacity elsewhere in the West Midlands to process the Borough’s waste in the short term until a strategy is produced.
· Even if there were a need, officers consider that there are preferable alternative sites.

SITA’s application is for a plant that would process around 62,000 tonnes of waste per year on land next to the Community Recycling Centre and landfill site at Granville. The proposed incinerator would operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Council has received over 250 letters of objection from local residents, and a petition of 58 signatures against the scheme. Objections have also been received from Friends of the Earth, TelfordPAIN local action group, local Parish Councils and MPs Mark Pritchard and David Wright. Local residents were particularly concerned about potentially harmful emissions from the chimney.

Council Leader Andrew Eade said: “The Council has to produce a waste management strategy for the borough to help reduce the amount of waste produced, increase recycling and only consider landfill as a last resort.

“EfW facilities are just one of the options and in pursuing a strategy we have said we will be looking at various technologies with the principal aims of minimising waste and maximising recycling.

“Until we do, officers consider that there is enough capacity at other waste treatment facilities in the West Midlands that could take Telford & Wrekin’s municipal waste in the short term.

“This application has helped raise many issues on the future of waste disposal for the borough and we now have the opportunity to explore all the viable alternatives in more detail.”

TelfordPAIN

Formed in October ’08, we are group of concerned local residents living in the Telford area who care about our local environment and the air our children breathe. Our purpose is to raise awareness and stop the construction of the proposed waste Incinerator which is to be built adjacent to the existing Granville Landfill Site, less than 2 miles north-east of Telford Town Centre.

TelfordPAIN has enjoyed good press and TV coverage since its inception and continues to campaign and look for fresh, innovative ways of getting its campaign message across to the Telford public.