One of the two designs put forward by Covanta for the 370,000
tonnes-a-year capacity facility which was refused planning permission
in Middlewich
However, Covanta has today vowed to appeal the unitary authority's decision and claimed that "not one of the grounds for refusal is justified".
At a meeting of the strategic planning board held yesterday (April 26) in Middlewich, councillors followed planning officers' recommendations to refuse the application and voted unanimously to block plans for the large-scale energy-from-waste facility.
The facility is earmarked for a site off Pochin Way in Middlewich and is designed to treat municipal and commercial and industrial waste from both Cheshire East and Cheshire West councils.
Officers had claimed that the proposal was not at a preferred site under its Cheshire Replacement Waste Local Plan, which outlines the council's strategy on waste management and treatment, and that the firm had failed to demonstrate that existing waste treatment capacity was inadequate to meet the council's waste needs.
The officers added that creation of the site could lead to overcapacity in the region and, potentially, necessitate material being imported to Cheshire for treatment. [SWiS comments: Shropshire Council, please take note.] Furthermore, the officers claimed that the applicant had "not satisfactorily demonstrated" how energy generated by the site would be recovered and exported.
The proposal was also recommended for refusal on the grounds that the impact of the site on the surrounding landscape would "outweigh the benefits".
Commenting on the refusal, chairman of the strategic planning board, councillor Hilda Gaddum, said: "After careful consideration the members concluded that the Covanta scheme conflicted with development plan policy in a number of key areas - namely that with the approval of other waste facilities elsewhere in Cheshire there is not a clear need for the development."
The meeting was prompted by Covanta's stated intention to appeal for non-determination of the planning application - which allows applicants to appeal a decision if the planning authority takes longer than eight weeks to deliberate.
However, the council maintained that they retained the power to determine the outcome of the application until May 1, 2010.
Determination
Covanta, which has UK headquarters in the West Midlands, first unveiled plans for the facility two years ago with the intention of winning the PFI-backed waste treatment contract for all of the former Cheshire county council's household waste and generating 35MW of power (see letsrecycle.com story).
And, Covanta preserved with the proposal for the site despite not
being among the final two bidders shortlisted by Cheshire county council the waste treatment contract in February 2009, after claiming that it believed there was still sufficient residual waste arisings in the region (see letsrecycle.com story).
Responding to the council decision to refuse the application, Covanta said it would be proceeding with an appeal. And, the firm claimed that, despite the five points raised by planning officers, it was important that no objection was raised on the basis of health or traffic grounds.
Malcolm Chilton, managing director of Covanta, said: "Covanta believes that not one of the grounds for refusal is justified, and that the full range of benefits the development would bring was not sufficiently examined.
"It is, however, worthy of note that in raising no objection on either health or traffic grounds, the view of Cheshire East Council's Strategic Planning Board is entirely consistent with the Central and Eastern Cheshire Primary Care Trust, the Health Protection Agency, the Environment Agency, the Highways Engineer, and the Highways Agency." [Surprise, surprise! - SWiS]
http://www.letsrecycle.com/do/ecco.py/view_item?listid=37&listcatid=217&listitemid=55197§ion=local_authorityCheshire
No comments:
Post a Comment