Andrew is strongly objecting to a revised application by Northacre Renewable Energy and Hills Waste to change its plans for a gasification plant on the edge of Westbury to an old style incinerator taking more waste, belching more carbon and particulates and increasing heavy traffic through the town. He said;
“Westbury didn’t lose the cement works chimney only to have another old style industrial smoke stack imposed on it.”
He is urging his constituents to comment online or write (to County Hall, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 8JN or by email to [email protected]) by the deadline Tuesday 22 September quoting Planning Application No. 20/06775/WCM.
He said;
“Wiltshire declared a climate emergency last year and its clear the revised plans would be a step back even from the unwelcome gasification proposals already approved. There is sufficient capacity within reasonable distance for disposing any waste that the operator believes can’t be recycled. In any event, throwing up more incinerators has a chilling effect on waste reduction and recycling.
“It’s a big no to this latest attempt by NRE and I urge people to write to the planning authority, Wiltshire Council, to object.
Andrew is also concerned about the scale of the planned incinerator. It would make Westbury a regional hub with around 200 HGVs per day driving through to feed burners emitting greenhouse gases 24/7 for 25 years. The medic MP is concerned about very fine particles generated by incinerators which some experts believe may have health consequences and to which he believes the precautionary principle should be applied.
Andrew is joined by a coalition of councillors and local residents, who all believe this project should be binned. Many have already submitted comments on the planning website.
The closing date for comment in relation to this is Tuesday 22nd September. Wiltshire Council will then proceed to review Northacre Renewable Energy’s revised proposals.