Pre-inquiry meeting will discuss energy plant application (From Northwich Guardian)
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Pre-inquiry meeting will discuss energy plant application
8:00am Tuesday 19th July 2011 in News
A PRE-INQUIRY meeting will discuss issues relating to a proposed energy from waste plant in Lostock, on July 26.
Earlier this year, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change announced that a public inquiry would determine the planning application by Tata Chemicals Europe, formerly Brunner Mond.
Plans for the sustainable energy plant, which would process 600,000 tonnes of pre treated waste and biomass per year, were rejected by the council’s planning committee in February.
The pre-inquiry meeting, to be held at Northwich Victoria Football Club, will discuss the procedure to be followed at the inquiry in October.
And although there will be no talk of the merits of particular planning issues, the primary areas of consideration will be flagged up, as well as the names of participants, the number of witnesses and inquiry dates and times.
Fraser Ramsay, SEP business development executive at Tata Chemicals Europe, said: “We are delighted to see the public inquiry process getting underway.
“The meeting will assist the planning inspector determine the format of the inquiry which starts on October 11.”
The meeting is open to the public, and some parish councillors and members of Cheshire Anti Incinerator Network (CHAIN) are strongly encouraging residents to attend.
Brian Cartwright, CHAIN chairman, said: “CHAIN is looking forward to the pre-inquiry meeting which will demonstrate by the numbers attending the intense public feeling against this development.
“We are hoping that the inspector will give organisations like CHAIN and other members of the public due hearing and the ability to take a productive role in the public inquiry.”
He added that the campaign group had compiled a list of concerns about the inquiry, which had been sent to the planning inspector.
These include worries about the perceived lack of publication of changes to the environmental statement, the lack of consultation on those issues, and the uncertainty about where the waste would come from.
Brian added that despite the inquiry being held in the town, at Northwich Victoria Football Club, he said that anyone interested in attending could only do so by car.
The pre-inquiry meeting will be held in the Executive Lounge at the football club, starting at 11am.
BREAKOUTS KENTON Barker, chairman of Wincham Parish Council, said it was very important for people with concerns to attend the meeting.
“We would love to encourage as many people to attend as possible to show the people involved in the inquiry what the local feeling against the proposed incinerator is,” he added.
EMMA Guy, vice chairman for Lostock Gralam Parish Council, said: “This is the last chance for the people of Lostock Gralam and Northwich to make their views known regarding this proposal.
“If we don't act now we will be condemning our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to a life in the shadow of this monster.”
TATA Chemicals Europe has applied to the secretary of state to make minor amendments and submit additional information to support its application.
This includes a consolidated environmental statement, new and comprehensive application drawings and a revised design and access statement and transport assessment.
The plans can be viewed during normal office hours at Cheshire West and Chester Council, Wyvern House, The Drumber, Winsford, CW7 1AH, at Northwich Library or Northwich TIC, 1 The Arcade.
Alternatively, email enquiries@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.
A spokesperson for the company said that no further detail about the additional information could be provided.
Comments(6)
Sue Statham
says...
3:19pm Tue 19 Jul 11
Because of this very real concern, I emailed Mr. Frazer Ramsay of Tata Chemicals to ask about the worst case operational failure scenario. Mr. Ramsay's reply gave me a very long list of the strict safety conditions under which incinerators are operated.
My reply was as follows:
"Dear Mr, Ramsay,
Thank-you for your prompt reply. Unfortunately your reply does not address my concerns. There is a website totally dedicated to incinerators which have breached their emission levels,so the strict conditions under which you state that incinerators are operated, were not effective in these cases.
My question is, should an incinerator breach emission levels, what is actually coming out of the stacks?
My family live in close proximity to the site on which you wish to construct an incinerator and my concern, and the concern of many hundreds of other residents of the town is, what is the worst-case scenario, should a breach of emissions occur? What are the worst possible pollutants, given what is being burned, that would be borne into the atmosphere? Residents would be completely unaware of any breach in the first place, so would it fall to your company to publish the breaches?
I would be interested to hear your comments."
When I receive a reply from Mr. Ramsay, I will hopefully be able to publish it on the Guardian website.
I urge local people to attend the pre-Inquiry Public Meeting at 11.00am on Tuesday, 26th July at Northwich Victoria Football Club. The Government Inspector needs to be aware that a huge swathe of local people are vehemently opposed to the siting of a 600,000 tonne waste incinerator in the midst of their community.
Please attend if you can.
Dot Gamble
says...
11:59pm Wed 20 Jul 11
There is still a Public Inquiry taking place in Middlewich and Covanta did exactly the same thing.
I feel this practice compromises the democratic process and gives these huge multi-national companies an unfair advantage over the general public who oppose the incinerators.
If you, too, feel that great unfairness is being foisted upon us then I would encourage you to attend the Pre-Inquiry Meeting mentioned by Sue Statham.
If they make us accept this incinerator as our neighbour (and they will if we do not put up opposition) they will carry on the legacy of pollution that ICI left behind.
Liam Burn
says...
12:21pm Thu 21 Jul 11
dotheythinkweredaft@hotmail.co.uk
says...
12:06pm Fri 22 Jul 11
Interesting point about ICI legacy. Look around at the dereliction in Winnington and Lostock and see the lack of commitment ICI showed once profit levels fell. TATA employs around 400 whereas ICI employed 10,000+. We might put up with dereliction if TATA employed 10,000 - it doesn't and want make any public statement of long term commitment to Northwich.
So we could be left without jobs but a 600,000 ton waste incinerator.
L Byrne
says...
2:06pm Fri 22 Jul 11
' for correcting the guy (who hides behind my name) about pensions.
It sounds like 'Liam Burn' bought the story put about by TATA in its propaganda that pensions of former ICI/Brunner Mond employees would be at risk if the waste incinerator does not get built. That was nothing but a blatant deceitful attempt to put pressure on a vulnerable group which shows the shameful tactics they are prepared to use.
L Byrne says...
10:19am Tue 19 Jul 11
To remind readers. The WASTE INCINERATOR that TATA of Mumbai want to build less than a mile from Tesco and even closer to homes and schools would burn 150,000 lbs of garbage every hour, be as large as Wembley Stadium and operate non stop (24/7, 365 days a year) for at least 50 years. In addition, the waste would be trucked into the town by hundreds of diesel juggernauts every day from all parts of the UK. None of it from Cheshire.
Please don't be taken in by the 'sustainable energy plant' clap trap used by those who do not want the public to know what is really going on.