Government overrides £150m Dorset waste incinerator decision

The facility is intended for Portland Port and was greenlit by the government on Monday – despite planning permission originally being denied by Dorset council. The denial came on grounds of visual impact, pollution and the presence of lorries. 

Developer Powerfuel Portland appealed the decision in November last year and told the BBC that the incinerator would allow for non-recyclable waste to be “managed locally in a more sustainable way”.  

The plant is due to cost £150 million and would have the capacity to process up to 202,000 tonnes of waste per year. This will not include hazardous or clinical waste. 

Dorset council leader Nick Ireland told the BBC: “Dorset Council has a net zero target – this effectively knee caps us. 

“There is no imperative that requires the generation of electricity from burning rubbish – there are better ways of generating electricity. 

“In the end, burning stuff generates CO2. It generates emissions and these emissions are going to be spewed out at the top of Portland.” 

Rushanara Ali, parliamentary under-secretary of state for building safety and homelessness, said that she believed the environmental impact of the plant sat within regulations – as decided by the planning inspectorate.  

MP for South Dorset, Lloyd Hatton, has also called for the plan to be scrapped. 

The Stop Portland Waste Incinerator group commented on a Facebook post: “We are sorry to hear that the under-secretary of state has decided to allow the appeal by Powerfuel and grant planning permission for the incinerator at Portland Port. 

“In theory a Judicial Review could be applied for, but this would be costly and would need to be carefully considered.” 

In replies to the comment, other campaigners called for an appeal and worried about the impact on the Jurassic Coast’s World Heritage site status.  

A spokesperson for Portland Port commented: “Portland Port will work with Powerfuel as a commercial operator on the port estate, as it does with all other occupiers, to facilitate operations and take the next steps forward.”