Frightening Prospect of Harmful Air Pollution
Today’s announcement, that the Barton Renewable Energy Plant is to go ahead, is a devastating blow to the people of Trafford, Salford and Manchester. The historic and unprecedented level of local opposition, including from local residents, doctors, businesses, MPs, Salford Council and all of Trafford’s Councillors, has been swept aside to make way for an outdated, dirty incinerator.
It is ironic that the decision made by our locally elected Councillors, who understand the local issues and represent the local community, has been overturned by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whose remit includes supporting local Councils. The decision ignores all the specific circumstances that make Davyhulme a completely unsuitable place for this plant. Instead the Government’s National Strategy has been prioritised. With its inadequate technology and short chimney stack, this incinerator will burn contaminated wood and plastics, creating air pollution that can lead to serious health impacts and premature death.
In our opinion, the original reasons on which Trafford’s entire Planning Committee unanimously rejected the plant, are still entirely valid: there is a body of credible evidence suggesting that this plant will cause harm and people may therefore leave the area.
The local air pollution is already of grave concern and as such, the Breathe Clean Air Group* has made an official complaint to the European Commission. Adding a huge amount of additional pollution from this incinerator is irresponsible.
There are cleaner alternatives for creating energy from waste, such as plasma gasification, but today’s decision means that local residents will be stuck with a dirty, polluting process for at least 25 years. We believe the careless nature of this decision will be evidenced in years to come as the impact on health becomes reality.
*The Breathe Clean Air Group has been campaigning against the incinerator since it was proposed, three years ago.
What a joke. With all the evidence that has been collected and submitted by LOCAL people, all the funds raised by LOCAL people, the Secretary of state for communities overturns the wishes of the LOCAL people. I for one am disgusted at Eric pickles’s decision. In fact it makes me sick. Who says an INCINERATOR in a RESIDENTIAL area. Is OK. I really hope this is taken further. Thank you BCAG for all your hard work and commitment for your LOCAL community. Shame you guys are not Secretary for Communities.
Such a sad day for all local people. It’s horrifying that real local concerns over a real threat to health and the local community should be ignored so completely. Is it possible to continue to fight the decision, especially following the UK Supreme Court ruling earlier this month? I can’t believe that such a ludicrously thought out plan for such an out-of-date experimental incinerator can be built within a stone’s throw of my home. A very, very sad day.
Sadly this reflects the power of Peel. How anyone can believe an incinerator in a residential area is a good idea is beyond me. Common sense goes out the door though when big business is involved. Money talks and residents suffer. So much for Government plans to give local people more power. Thanks for all your hard work on our behalf so far. Can we carry this further?
I knew this would happen. These things are sorted out and decided long before they are announced! Public enquirys are just a waste of time and the reaults are usually ignored any way. The Conservative party has just lost my vote after 60 years of support from me!
. .. Ray Batten.
I think we should come and get Eric Pickles to live right next door to the plant?
I wonder if he’d keep the decision if he lived next door.