A planning condition to restrict deliveries of refuse-derived fuel to Viridors 850,000 tonne capacity Runcorn incinerator by road has been overturned.
Halton borough council had placed a restriction on transporting more than 85,000 tonnes of RDF to the facility via road each year despite the original planning application for the facility designating the plant would need to deliver up to 480,000 tonnes when first submitted in 2007.
The waste management firm had previously feared it would have to consider other options for transporting material to the plant when the second phase of operations begin in early 2015 (see letsrecycle.com story).
But, following an appeal by consortium partner INEOS ChlorVinyls, the Planning Inspectorate has agreed to lift the restriction to allow the maximum of 480,000 tonnes a year to be delivered via road.
Commenting on the decision, Viridor director of external affairs, Dan Cooke, said: We are pleased with this common-sense decision. This is a safe and sensible balance that will significantly boost the local economy, provide a cost-effective solution to local businesses and councils, and ensure that the facility can operate at maximum capacity.
Viridor remains committed to maximising the amount of fuel that can be transported by rail to Runcorn. We appreciate local concern about traffic levels and would therefore point out that the result of this application equates to just a 0.2% increase of current local traffic movements. We will of course also enforce local routing agreements.
Action Group
The decision to overturn the restriction follows a four day public inquiry in Runcorn on January 14, which was attended by the Halton Action Group Against the Incinerator, long-term campaigners against the Viridor plant.
The group warned local residents that the inquiry would be the very last chance to raise concerns about the appeal, and asked for support so that it could win its disagreement with INEOS.
INEOS, which is a major chemical producer, intends to use 51MW of heat and 70MW of electricity generated by the Runcorn plant to power its neighbouring manufacturing chlorine and PVC manufacturing site.
The total project represents a 452 million investment, creating around 80 permenant jobs within the facility as well as having employed over 1,100 people during the construction phase which began in 2010 (see letsrecycle.com story).
Viridor is set to begin burning treated waste from Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority (GMWDA) at its 850,000 tonne capacity plant this month, which will be transported to the site via rail.
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