Chesterfield objects to “premature” gasification plans

Chesterfield borough council's planning committee met last night (January 26) and refused to back the development, which would involve a 60,000 tonne-a-year capacity merchant gasification plant being built as part of a proposed 'Sheepbridge Resource Park' (see letsrecycle.com story ).

However, the final decision on whether or not the proposals get the go-ahead rests with Derbyshire county council, and, speaking to letsrecycle.com today, Cyclamax managing director Tony Watkins said: “It doesn't affect our plans at all.”

Derbyshire county council is set to hold a public hearing on the application on March 2, 2009, to hear from applicants and interested parties, with a view to making a final decision on the proposed development, which would also include a 20,000 tonne-a-year capacity merchant MRF, later this year.

Concerns

In making its decision last night to call for the county council to refuse the application, the borough council highlighted concerns over the “unproven” nature of gasification technology in the UK, which, it said, led to a “real fear” of health risks.

It also emphasised the fact that Derbyshire's waste planning strategy had not yet been finalised, and until that happened it would not be possible to know how many and what type of treatment plants should be built in the county.

And, the council claimed that a “perception of risk” could damage the local economy and prevent investment in the surrounding area.

Explaining the decision, councillor Peter Barr, chair of the council's planning committee, said: “The planning committee heard all the arguments. We are well aware of the need to reduce landfill and to consistently review methods of waste disposal.

“The council strongly supports the recycling of waste, but we believe the plans put forward by Cyclamax for a gasification plant are premature and pose a potential health and economic risk to the town.

“Any plan of this type should follow a proper process of public consultation and debate about the future options for the treatment of waste in Derbyshire. The borough council will be asking the county council to refuse the application and to bring forward its core strategy for waste planning for consultation,” he added.

Cyclamax

However, Cyclamax's managing director, Tony Watkins, told letsrecycle.com that Chesterfield borough council's objections to the proposal were “not actually grounds for the refusal of the application” by Derbyshire county council.

“Their reasons focus around the difficulties the Derbyshire waste plans are going through,” he explained, referring to the fact that the county's waste planning strategy was yet to be finalised.

Mr Watkins also emphasised that Chesterfield borough council's report on the plans had noted that there had been no planning objections to the facility.