Over 1,000 objectors fighting plans for waste ‘burning’ plant

OVER 1,000 people have objected to plans for a waste incinerator, saying hundreds of lorries will cause traffic problems and the plant could add to air pollution.

Dozens of concerned residents gathered for a public meeting earlier this week to oppose plans for an energy recovery centre off Wheldon Road, which is near to the Castleford Tigers stadium and about 1km from the centre of Castleford.

The plant would deal with up to 195,000 tonnes of non-hazardous industrial, commercial and residential waste per year in a 24-hour operation.

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The scheme by Clean Power Properties and Network Rail Infrastructure includes plans for two rail sidings off the main railway line, a visitor centre and a new access road.

Protestors fought off similar plans in 2006 on the former Wheldale Colliery site.

Objector David Mitchell said around 1,500 people had already filed their objections with Wakefield Council’s planning department.

He said it wasn’t too late for others to make their views known.

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Mr Mitchell, who lives in South Milford, around five miles from the site, said: “This application threatens the peace and tranquillity not only of those living close to the proposed site in Wheldon Road but to the whole of Castleford.”

He said the determination of residents had “seen off” a similar scheme in 2006.

“It has been calculated that 195,000 tonnes of waste would be trafficked to this facility every year bringing 105 huge lorries a day into town and residential areas, on a 24/7 basis, creating noise, dust and smells.

“There is no doubt that the extra traffic would cause danger, frustration and stress. Residents and nearby children’s recreational facilities would suffer.”

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Mr Mitchell said he understood that levels of air pollution in one part of the town were already too high.

He accepted that modern technology now allows waste to be treated and burned with little emissions but he said that the long-term effect on plant and animal life was not fully understood.

“The future regeneration of the town is dependent on the ability of planners to create an environment which is attractive.

“Discussion (at the public meeting) centred around this subject and there was a strong will in the hall to make Castleford a great place to live and to keep that dream alive. “The development was seen very much as a negative blight.”

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Opponents of the scheme include Alison Drake, the chairman of Castleford Heritage Trust, who said the scheme would be “highly detrimental to the entire town”.

Cleanpower Properties said the facility was designed to have the lowest possible impact on its surroundings. Four 30m tall chimneys would release only water vapour and a small amount of carbon dioxide rather than smoke.

The company says that the technology used to process the waste involves steam and heat in an oxygen-free environment which produces charcoal and combustible gas and, in turn, electricity.

The company’s website states that “incineration” is not part of the process, although documents attached to the planning application refer to charcoal burning and heat treatment of waste.

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Wakefield Council’s Ian Thomson, director of planning, transportation and highways, said: “We have received a planning application for a waste processing facility at Wheldon Road in Castleford which is currently under consideration. This has been publicised and the consultation runs until the end of February.

“We will need to consider all the representations received and at present it is not known when the application will be ready for a Committee decision to be made.”

A date has yet to be set for the application to be decided by a planning committee.

The site would also require an environmental permit before it can operate.