After 15 intense days of evidence and cross examination the Planning Inquiry into the proposed Ardley Fields Farm Incinerator closed on Wednesday afternoon 28th July 2010. In the words of Mr Bedford (the barrister representing Oxfordshire County Council, who were defending their Planning Committee’s decision to refuse permission for the incinerator scheme):
The sensible overall conclusion is that this is not a proposal which on its own merits deserves to succeed. It amounts to a short term gain in terms of achieving targets at the cost of long term pain for the receiving environment and for the communities affected by the decision. This is indeed a case where “the folks” and their elected representatives have reached the right conclusion about what is best for the places in which they live. They deserve to have that decision respected by the Secretary of State. For all these reasons the inspectors are invited to recommend that the appeal is dismissed.
Let’s hope our Eric is listening!
Local campaigners are aware that there is still a fair way to go before they can finally put this application to bed, and they have kindly provided UKWIN with an approximate timetable of what happens next based on similar previous inquiry outcomes.
- Environment Agency Permitting Consultation – 11th August 2010 (consultation closes followed by decision)
- Planning Inspector’s Report – October 2010
- Secretary of State’s Decision – December 2010 (decisions can take as long as 6 months or even a year, but they tend to take 2 to 4 months)
- Challenge Stage – January – February 2011 (potential opportunity to challenge if the decision does not go our way or for Viridor if they are not happy)
In the meantime Ardley Against Incinerator will be working towards the second planning application hearing by Oxfordshire County Council’s Planning Committee, which is expected sometime in September or October 2010.
According to one of Ardley Against Incinerator’s leading lights:
If there is an additional piece of good news from the last three weeks, it is the amount of information and advice we have been able to pick up that will make fighting the second application a little easier.The Ardley Against Incinerator group sends a big “thank you” to all of their supporters, including the following parties, for their dedication and support since their first ever meeting back in July 2008: Bucknell & Middleton Stoney Parish Councils, Bicester Print, Cherwell District Council, CPRE, FOE Oxfordshire, B430 Traffic Group, Planing Aid, Sam @ NewsQuest, SAVI, SCAI, Tusmore Estate and Weston Front.
Ardley Against Incinerator is a not for profit voluntary group formed by concerned local residents and business campaigning against the proposed development by Oxfordshire County Council and Viridor Waste Management of a 300,000 tonne industrial incineration plant at Ardley Fields Farm.
To keep up to date with the Ardley Against Incinerator group visit their website at: http://www.ardleyagainstincinerator.co.uk/
And there continues to be much to track in Oxfordshire, including Oxfordshire County Council’s recent decision to sign a contract with Viridor for, would you believe it, an incinerator at Ardley.
This story has been covered by both LetsRecycle and BBC Oxford.
And plans are expected in August for an MBT plant at the site at Sutton Courtenay (near Didcot in Oxfordshire) previously subject to a failed planning application for an incinerator. See Waste incinerator bid for Sutton Courtenay withdrawn.
