Trafford Says No to Incinerator
The Public Inquiry into the Barton Renewable Energy Plant in Davyhulme, Greater Manchester has ended (on Tuesday 27th November).
Apart from the proposers of the scheme, Peel Energy, not one person spoke in favour of the controversial biomass waste incinerator.
The incinerator had been refused planning permission by Trafford Council in November 2011, but Peel Energy had appealed against this decision, which prompted the Public Inquiry.
Pete Kilvert, Chairman of the Breathe Clean Air Group, which lead the campaign against the incinerator said, “we have campaigned for the last two and a half years against this scheme, to protect the air we breathe from deadly contamination. We are delighted that Trafford Council has unanimously opposed the incinerator and that 15 Trafford Councillors and a senior Councillor from neighbouring Salford, spoke out at the Inquiry. Stretford and Urmston MP Kate Green, along with some sixty members of the public, including Breathe Clean Air Group members, also spoke and condemned the incinerator”.
The ten-day Inquiry focussed on health impacts, environmental concerns and the effects on regeneration of the community. The location of the incinerator, next to an Air Quality Management Area, gave great concern, as some of the incinerator’s emissions would be similar to the already over-the-limit emissions from road traffic exhaust gases. However, other air pollutants such as heavy metals, fine particulate material and organic chemicals such as dioxins were also highlighted.
There was concern that the plant’s design did not conform to Best Available Technology, as the incineration temperature would be too low to destroy contaminated material, the bag filtration system was out-dated and the chimney stack was too low to disperse emissions adequately. The monitoring of emissions was condemned as being completely inadequate.
The Planning Inspector’s report won’t be available until the New Year. It will be a recommendation to Secretary of State Eric Pickles, who will make the final decision.
Have you seen the new road system being introduced for the Port Salford development, it will have a great impact on junction 10, M60. and create access to the Biomass site. Have a look at the website ‘portsalford’