Secretary of State for Communities Eric Pickles today (January 7) gave his approval for the planning application to proceed, following a 24-day inquiry in November 2013, headed by Brian Cook of the Planning Inspectorate.
A planning application for the facility was rejected by Gloucestershire county council in March 2013, despite having been recommended for approval by council officers. The decision was subsequently appealed by the developers of the plant – a consortium comprising Spanish-owned waste management firm Urbaser and civil engineering firm Balfour Beatty.
A decision on the appeal had been due in September, but this was subsequently pushed back three times by the government.
The plant is part of a £500 million contract between Gloucestershire county council and the consortium which was originally awarded in September 2012.
Shortly after being named preferred bidder, UBB encountered local opposition to the plans with residents arguing construction would spoil the surrounding scenery. Others questioned whether the proposed plant would be economically sound.
Decision
In a letter outlining the reasons for accepting the application, Christine Symes, decision officer at the Department for Communities and Local Government, noted that Mr Pickles had accepted the Inspector’s finding that the facility would be located on land characterised as ‘urban fringe’ and that the visual impact of the plant would not conflict with planning policy.
The Secretary of State concluded that the “less than substantial harm to the settings” created by the development of the facility were likely to be “far outweighed” by the “public benefits” of the site.
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Commenting on the decision, Javier Peiro, project director for UBB, said: “We are delighted with the Secretary of State’s decision to agree to the construction of the facility. The proposals were found to be in-line with the relevant planning policy and Gloucestershire county council’s Waste Core Strategy. UBB looks forward to working with the people of Gloucestershire to deliver the facility which will help divert up to 92% of the county’s residual waste from landfill while generating enough electricity to power around 26,000 homes.
“We will be working with Gloucestershire county council to make sure the project brings as many opportunities for the local people and the economy as possible and make a positive contribution to the effects of climate change.”
Recycling
Councillor Ray Theodoulou, Gloucestershire council’s cabinet member for waste, added: “Today’s decision means the rubbish we can’t recycle can be disposed of in a safe and environmentally friendly way.
“Our aim is to reach 70% recycling across the county and stop burying waste in the ground completely. As well as this new facility, Gloucestershire will also be using anaerobic digestion to treat food waste and recycling more. This all takes us a huge step closer.”
The plant may not yet have passed its final planning hurdle however, as opponents to the plant including the Gloucestershire Friends of the Earth Network and campaign group Gloucestershire Vale Against Incineration (GlosVAIN) have six weeks to challenge the decision in the High Court.
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