The proposed site of the incinerator at Saddlebow. Picture: Ian Burt.
Environmental groups abandon opposition to King’s Lynn incinerator
Chris Bishop
Thursday, March 1, 2012
1:47 PM
Natural England and the RSPB now believe the proposed “energy from waste” plant at Saddlebow will not pose a threat to sensitive sites such as The Wash and Roydon Common.
Their change of heart over the controversial scheme comes days after the Envrionment Agency said it no longer feared the plant would be at risk from flooding.
Their submissions are among more than 3,000 responses received during a second round of consultation over Cory Wheelabrator’s planning application to build the incinerator at Saddlebow.
Developers were asked to provide further information about the incinerator’s possible impacts on the environment.
Government conservation watchdog Natural England had originally warned that based on information made available, the proposals were likely to have a significant effect on Roydon Common and Dersingham Bog Special Area of Conservation due to acid deposition.
But in its submission to Norfolk County Council’s planning consultation, published online today, it said: “Taking account of the additional information supplied to Natural England, our final advice is that this proposal is not likely to have a significant effect on Roydon Common and Dersingham Bog SAC and Ramsar Sites.”
Natural England had also questioned whether emissions from the plant could cause toxins to build up in shellfish in The Wash.
“These are an important component of the designated intertidal mudflats and sandflats feature, which also supports internationally important populations of overwintering birds,” its submission says.
“It is our view that the further information provided indicates that there is likely to be no significant long term impact on invertebrate populations within the subject site.
“It is our opinion therefore that the conservation objectives for The Wash and North Norfolk Coast SAC and The Wash SPA, Ramsar Site and SSSI to maintain site features in favourable condition would not be adversely affected by the proposed development.”
Also today, it emerged that the RSPB had abandoned its objections to the incinerator. It said that new information it had received had addressed its concerns.
But it added: “We recommend that should permission be granted, that it be accompanied by a condition to secure continued monitoring of The Wash for the period of the development.”
John Boldon from Cory Wheelabrator said: “It is excellent news that Natural England has followed the Environment Agency in withdrawing its concerns over the project.
“This means that significant progress has been made in gaining support for the Willows Power and Recycling Centre proposals from key statutory bodies.”
Campaigner Mike Knights said: “Over recent months there have been big clues government bodies like the Environment Agency and Natural England would let us down.
“Once the Environment Agency obediently withdrew their objection we did not feel confident Natural England would hold out much longer. This proposal has much more to do with big money and vested interests than offering a responsible waste treatment.”
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20 comments
It astounds me that the RSPB homepage has a huge message to ask members to email George Osbourne to stop him funding damaging environmental projects!
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mrmagpieman
Sunday, March 4, 2012
LFB: re your question below about why Natural England are quote 'suddenly experts on incinerators', because the Wash and Roydon Common are SSSIs? Natural England are the government's statutory advisers on issues affecting SSSIs. It's their job.
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beeston bump
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The reason the EA has dropped objections is because Kings Lynn Borough Council is scrutinising them over the U turn concerning the PFI credits. Influence from Government departments. Ms Spelman is an honest lady as I read today’s Mail.
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CleanAirPlease
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Carting the waste over to the West will cost the ratepayers a fortune as diesel fuel is escalating with troubles in the Middle East. The other cost is to the environment. So Palm Paper can have subsidised energy paid by the rate payer!
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Choice
Sunday, March 4, 2012
It seems that only Private Eye has the courage to print anything vaguely against incineration. No other media outlet will touch it. Why? Also why is the amount of CO2 this thing will produce not mentioned?
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Norfolk Dumpling
Saturday, March 3, 2012
alecto, top banana..well said.
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nrg
Friday, March 2, 2012
christoph seems that your health has been damaged keep taking the tablets.
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Jack
Friday, March 2, 2012
Democracy is alive and well - You just don't like the outcome. Even the NHS has said the incinerator will not cause any harm to peoples health.
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christoph
Friday, March 2, 2012
They are at the bottom of things. I have never come across a newspaper where the reporters do so little investigative reporting. The sum total of their investigative reporting today was that they found a ten quid note in Holt or somewhere. Who cares? I want to know why the County Council are so hell bent on building this awful monument to themselves. But unless a national newspaper gets involved we aren't ever going to find out. The Lynn News does a wonderful job but they are constricted by their size.
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alecto
Friday, March 2, 2012
Can the EDP find out what "the additional information" is? I thought reporters liked getting to the bottom of things! In this case though, I think they should perhaps start at the top with the Lone Ranger and Tonto!!
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whimsie73
Friday, March 2, 2012
29th May2011 Following a public inquiry, the Secretary of State Eric Pickles has refused planning permission for Veolia’s proposed 180,000 tonne waste incinerator in Rainworth, Nottinghamshire. The public inquiry, which was presided over by Inspector Rupert Grantham, opened in October 2009 and was adjourned twice at the request of Veolia to allow them time to submit further evidence. The greenfield site, owned by UK Coal and subject to a planning condition requiring restoration to heathland and woodland, is in the heart of Sherwood Forest, and is used by rare and protected bird species such as woodlark and nightjar Local campaign group People Against Incineration (PAIN) were joined by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and Newark & Sherwood District Council in opposing the application at the public inquiry. So why is Natural England, and RSPB suddenly become experts on incineraters and state "It would not pose a threat to sensitive sites such as The Wash and Roydon Common." THESE ARE Sites of Special Scientific Interest.(SSSI)
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LFB
Friday, March 2, 2012
Once again, my reasonable and plausible comments as to who owns our waste and what we CAN DO with it, rathern than pollute Kings Lynn, have been binned by the excellent censors of the EDP.
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ingo wagenknecht
Friday, March 2, 2012
People will not stop recycling, most wont even realise their waste will be burned. As for Roydon-it managed to thrive all the years when there was acid from heavy industry- there is now so much less sulphur in the atmosphere falling on the land that farmers are having to apply it to crops like oil seed rape to make up the deficiency.
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Daisy Roots
Thursday, March 1, 2012
So the pollution from this old fashioned waste burner will not effect the wildlife in the Wash or any other specie living downwind. But, should you ever want to safeguard the fenlands food production areas and build a Wash dyke from Skeggy to Hunstanton then you are irreperably damaging the wildlife. Our environmental bodies have shown their allegiances to big business and it coincides with their anual renewal of memberships for their causes.
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ingo wagenknecht
Thursday, March 1, 2012
It is even more important now that KLWNBC mounts a High Court challenge to Caroline Spelman’s decision to award waste infrastructure credits worth £169m to NCC. This remains the most effective way of preventing the incinerator from being built. If that decision is quashed, NCC cannot in the present climate – either politically or economically – go ahead, whatever Cllr Borrett may have said in the past. But what is actually happening in King’s Lynn? It is now six weeks since the decision was announced, and time is fast running out. The challenge would be funded by public money, and the public has a right to know what is going on. KLWNBC needs to issue another press release.
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Nemesis
Thursday, March 1, 2012
no democracy--does not matter which way you vote as they are all the same.
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bookworm
Thursday, March 1, 2012
So Natural England and the RSPB now believe the proposed “energy from waste” plant at Saddlebow will not pose a threat to sensitive sites such as The Wash and Roydon Common. This, they say is because of the additional information supplied to them. Nobody says what this additional information is or who it comes from though. Will anyone be able to publish this, preferably in an understandable format, do you think?
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whimsie73
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The main problem I see with this whole issue is NCC's continued drive to try and improve recycling rates. Everyone I have spoken to has said that if burning rubbish is so clean then they can burn everything. People will simply stop recycling, after all this will generate evn more electricity. And I do wish people would stop mentioning democracy in Norfolk. There is non as far as NCC is concerned. You either do things Mr Murphy's way or not at all. Borrettt, Steward etc are spineless in my opinion for not standing up to this man. But then when you look at the allowances they claim (I do not say earn!) why should they put their livelehoods at risk. Its called feathering your own nest.
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smithrob
Thursday, March 1, 2012
i agree with last poster-remember this when voting comes around.
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bookworm
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Democracy is dead. David Cameron promised that local people would have their way. They rejected it in a referendom and no notice has been taken. What Cameron says and what actually happens are quite different.
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Johnny Norfolk
Thursday, March 1, 2012