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Ward Question – 18th December 2008 |
Under Standing Order 14, Councillor L.E. Nichols asked the following question:
Charlton Incinerator
“Both Runnymede and Mole Valley Councils are supporting residents in their vigorous opposition to the proposed thermal waste disposal sites in their Boroughs. At the Surrey Waste Plan examination hearing Spelthorne’s position was stated as being not against incineration in principle at the Charlton site, provided it was not visually intrusive and did not generate significant additional traffic.
Does this remain the Council’s position or, should Charlton be chosen, will it oppose the principle of the use of the site for incineration or other thermal treatment?”
The Portfolio Holder for the Environment, Councillor G.E. Forbsrey, responded as follows:
This issue was previously raised in a question at Full Council in July last year and it was confirmed that a report had been agreed by Executive on 18 July 2006 which set out the Council’s concerns about the submitted Surrey Waste Plan 2006. For the record, this Council had objected to the ‘soundness’ of the Plan on a number of matters.
The County Council’s draft Waste Plan did not expressly propose an incinerator at Charlton Lane, but they did refer to ‘thermal treatment’ which encompasses a range of technologies.
We objected to any large scale facility at Charlton Lane because of its significant potential adverse impact on landscape, amenity and traffic. We also objected that the draft plan failed to assess the impact of smaller scale facilities and their suitability, or otherwise, at any of the sites identified in the plan – including Charlton Lane and the lack of acknowledgement in the plan of the constraints each site has.
We made it clear that any proposal at Charlton Lane, was likely to give rise to landscape, amenity and traffic impacts greater than the existing development. This would not be acceptable to the Council.
The Waste Plan was adopted on 6 May 2008 in accordance with the Inspectors’ binding report. It identifies Charlton Lane as a potential site for the thermal treatment of waste, subject to any proposal having to demonstrate “very special circumstances” because of the Green Belt location and to satisfy other criteria including to landscape and traffic impacts. The Inspector took the view that, due to a number of factors, the scope to locate a large scale thermal treatment facility at Charlton Lane was more limited.
Therefore, the Council’s position with regard to the thermal treatment of waste remains unaltered, but our view on any detailed proposal coming forward at Charlton Lane would need to be formulated in the light of the policies and proposals in the adopted Waste Plan and a careful assessment of the likely impact of any specific proposals.
Councillor Forsbrey in response to a supplementary question from Councillor L.E. Nichols confirmed that the Council’s position with regard to the thermal treatment of waste remains unaltered, but our view on any detailed proposal coming forward at Charlton Lane would need to be formulated in the light of the policies and proposals in the adopted Waste Plan and a careful assessment of the likely impact of any specific proposals.
Commentary
The Portfolio-holder refused the opportunity to say that the Council is opposed to incineration “in principle”