EXCLUSIVE: Incinerator report switched
A DRAFT report recommending the rejection of a giant waste incinerator for Cornwall has been replaced at the last minute, the Western Morning News can exclusively reveal.
A draft document leaked to the WMN concerning the proposed Energy Recovery Centre in St Dennis, which was written by Cornwall County Council planning officers for a meeting set for March 19, clearly states a recommendation to refuse the application.
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But the authority has since issued an official report for the rescheduled meeting this Thursday, which recommends approval for the 390ft incinerator in the middle of the countryside.
The change has sparked outrage among campaigners and politicians fighting the controversial plans, amid warnings that the cost of them not being approved could be more than £160 million.
County councillor Graeme Hicks has now officially asked the police to investigate the matter.
Last week, the WMN revealed fears from MP Matthew Taylor that the report had been "spiked" in favour of a document recommending approval.
The original draft report states: "It is concluded that, on balance, the planning application is contrary to the policies of the Development Plan with regard to the impacts on environmental and amenity interests and that a departure from these policies is not warranted."
However, the new document from the county council was written by a different officer and comes to the opposite conclusion, recommending that councillors vote in favour of the incinerator plans.
It states: "Overall, I believe the proposal is in accordance with national policies and the Development Plan. There are no other material considerations that would lead me to make a recommendation other than for approval."
Both reports refer to the impacts caused by noise and general disturbance, but the new one contains the following statement: "These are serious impacts that must be given significant weight. However, I do not consider they are so serious in degree that they outweigh the overall support for the proposals in the Development Plan.
"It is inevitable that harm of these types will arise to a greater or lesser degree if the aim of providing a single EFW (energy from waste unit) is to be fulfilled within the area of search."
The original draft report was prepared by experienced planning officers Chris Daly and Adrian Lea. The new one was written by Phil Mason, who has been appointed head of planning for Cornwall's new unitary authority, which comes into existence on April 1. He was previously deputy chief executive at Restormel Borough Council, which made official statements opposing the incinerator plans.
Coun Graeme Hicks, independent county councillor and leader of Kerrier District Council, said he had formally reported the matter to the police. "I want to ensure that the public retains confidence in this highly important issue," he said.
Mebyon Kernow councillor Dick Cole, chairman of Restormel's planning committee, said: "It is little wonder that people are questioning the transparency of the whole process, with the applicant being the county council's own waste disposal contractor. The people of St Dennis and Mid-Cornwall deserve answers as to what is going on. The credibility of the whole planning system in Cornwall is at stake."
Truro and St Austell MP, Matthew Taylor said the authority was "both poacher and gamekeeper", adding: "This leak makes the county council's position as a supposedly independent planning authority utterly compromised."
A council spokesman said any initial reports were "only draft" and different proposals were considered as part of the application process.
Referring to the Lib-Dems' warning of a £163 million bill if the incinerator did not get the go-ahead, he added: "The potential financial implication of a decision is not a valid planning reason for refusing or approving an application."
8 Comments
by goodisplanetearth.org, cornwall
Tuesday, November 17 2009, 12:48PM
“just say no incinerator...Please sign this petition to the Secretary of State regarding proposed energy from wasteincinerator site at St Dennis Cornwall. This maybe our last chance to get to grips with what SITA is trying to do to Cornwall. please follow this link”
by sillymidoff, Penwoogle
Thursday, March 26 2009, 8:16PM
“this is one of the few counties without a single power station now looking to reject a waste to energy plant !!”
by Hawkwind, St Dennis [twinned with Hades]
Tuesday, March 24 2009, 5:36PM
“The events that have taken place in recent days in the chambers of Cornwall County Council have shown to us that they have scant regard for even their own rules,and that they have declared war on the people of Cornwall.This being the case we shall also disregard the rules and take advantage of the 'help' that has been offered to us from several groups across the Country
Cry Havoc and let slip the dogs of war
Oka Hey it is a good day to die!”
by Diana Padwick, St Dennis
Tuesday, March 24 2009, 2:04PM
“The people of Cornwall need to be more responsible for the waste they create! We can longer throw away valuable resources and consume more than this planet can make!
There are many ways to despose of the things we no longer want and all are less poluting.
The figure of £163millon has been quoted and held over the heads of County Councillors and the residents of Cornwall and used to 'blackmail' us to saying yes.
Inspite of what 'they ' say, the electricity generated will be sold to the national grid and the profit goes to a French company. The heat it produces going to the china clay industry, is shrinking and moving to Brazil. Will it still be here by the time the incinerator is built?
The site can be seen from the A30, The main artery for Cornwalls farming and tourist industries. What a welcome! A rugged working landscape, changed by a 400ft chimney and a building that will cover an area you could fill with two football fields. A greenfield site.
You will still have 60,000 tonnes of ash to deal with, most will be toxic!
There will only be around 20 jobs!
Pcp's, heavy metals and flurins will be pumped into air constantly. Resulting in coronry, & pulminary deseases, as well as birth defects. Not to mention tipping the delicate balance of the Site of International Scientific interest that is in the ajacent field. 1000 years of faming history and Historic Cornish hedges will be distroyed. If dioxins get into the food chain, as they have in Italy and Spain, milking heards will culled and the farm decommisioned.
The waste hierachy is completly ignored. The EU waste directives will be completly ignored.
The Carbon foot print of this incinerator will be more than the tonnage of waste it will burn!
It will take more than two years to build!
there is technology out there that is greener, more effcient, that can be up and running within 6 months to a year and will earn money for Cornwall! Technologies that SITA themselves will be using.
We only pay heavy fines in landfill tax for food waste, which has to be collected seperatly by 2010, thats 9 months away!
I for one will be at the planning meeting on thursday 26th March to urge the councillors to say no! Whereb will you be?”
by Interested by stander, Cornwall
Tuesday, March 24 2009, 10:05AM
“Cheekyman you are correct in your statement about Interested by standers comments "output of dangerous fumes"???. The comment s are based on the simple assumption when something is burnt the by product is smoke. Depending upon the materials being burnt wood, plastics, petrol, diesel, cigarettes the smoke produce will be made up of different elements and gases. Some more could be more toxic than others! Unfortunately interested by standers knowledge only goes as far as that, so there is room for learning about EFW plants. So thanks. Personally the I believe the way forward is harnessing the power of the sea to produce this extra energy.”
by cheekyman, Redruth
Tuesday, March 24 2009, 9:01AM
“It's always seemed to me as though the people of Cornwall have had a problem with any form of energy production, every wind turbine that's ever gone up has had some fool complaining about it. At some point we need to realise that this world we live in is dependant on energy and that Cornwall produces virtually nothing (with the exception of a few turbines and an intermittent CHP plant on Gossmoor).
I think this is a fantastic thing to do, and although the residents of St Stephen and St Dennis are going to moan about (they always do), we as a county need to do something more productive with waste other than chuck it in United Downs.
I'm assuming that "Interested by-stander" has little scientific knowledge of how a EFW plant works?
"output of dangerous fumes"???...this is the sort of scaremongering that would work well in local council, with no scientific basis whatsoever...provided the plant is working at the correct temperature there would be no problem...simple as that...whether SITA are up to the job or not is a different matter...and lets be honest...they're not famous in this country for getting things right or listening to what the local population says.
Sill...I wouldn't like it in my backyard...”
by Interested by stander, Cornwall
Monday, March 23 2009, 6:16PM
“What are the opinions and local concensus, are they for or against the plans. If they against the plans then it will be a cause of 1 rule for second home owners and another rule for the locals. It will be interesting to see how many jobs are going to be created from this project? And what are the potential negative environmental factors going to be, e.g. the output of dangerous fumes from burning off the non recycable waste versus burrowing it in the ground. Can this waste be reused in any way in stead of being burnt? Is there going to be enough rubbush that requires burning in the next 10 or 20 years. Surely the site could be used as a research centre into how various apsects of waste can be modified or changed into making different materials such a recycled plastics for more effiecient modes of transport or anything else that much benefit from such research. Would this not be a more longer term approach to creating jobs in the local area and focussing upon the problems associated with the disposal of non recyclable waste?”
by chris, newquay
Monday, March 23 2009, 2:14PM
“the Lib-Dems' warning of a £163 million bill if the incinerator did not get the go-ahead'
WHY?
Somebody or some people have scewed up!
Have the lib dems lumbered cornish taxpayers with a bill, that couldv'e been avoided???
Who gave the go-ahead to order this incinerator???
Why aren't we recycling more???
Is Mr Mason being pressured into making these changes for fear of his job?
Outrageous - get this lot out!!!”