North London Waste Plan decision deadline extended

A decision on the future of the North London Waste Plan looks set to be delayed until the end of July after a group of councils was given an extended deadline to respond to claims it had not met the duty to cooperate with other planning authorities.

The plan, which has been drawn up by officers from Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest councils identifies a range of suitable sites for future waste management facilities in North London.

A hearing into whether it meets legal requirements was suspended on June 12 (see letsrecycle.com story), after representations from two waste planning authorities South East Waste Planning Advisory Group and the East of England Waste Technical Advisory Body. The two bodies claimed that they had not been consulted on proposals within the plan that would see waste sent to landfill outside of London.

The councils were originally given a week to submit information about how they have met the duty to cooperate in drawing up the Plan, but the deadline for this has been pushed back until July 27, due to a lack of council staff available to be able to respond to a note issued by the planning inspector.

Preliminary view

In the note, planning inspector Andrew Mead gave his preliminary view on the case, concluding that the North London Boroughs do have a duty to co-operate with authorities in areas outside London to which waste from North London gets sent for landfill.

Mr Mead, said: I conclude that the absence of policies or proposals in the NLWP to manage all the waste arisings and the consequent continuation of the export of waste would be likely to have a significant impact on at least two planning areas by virtue of the waste being managed or deposited in them. Consequently, the North London Councils have a duty to co-operate with the councils representing the planning areas in which the waste would be managed or deposited.

Should the planning inspectorate rule that it has not met its duty to cooperate, the plan will need to be redrawn, which could take a further two years.

In a further blow for waste planners in North London, Liberal Democrat councillors in Haringey, the location of proposed waste site at Pinkham Way, have said they will continue to fight the sites application for planning permission. The planning application for the site is currently on hold until the resolution of the public examination into the NLWP, but has been met by substantial opposition from the local community.

Liberal Democrat councillor Juliet Solomon said: The suspension is a result of colossal carelessness in the waste plan, especially when one thinks of the time and money that has been spent to get here. The North London Waste planners have been told to think again. My Liberal Democrat colleagues and I will continue to fight, along with the Pinkham Way Alliance, to knock the plans out for good.