Firm says no to Wisbech incinerator site work

A local contractor has called a halt to work on the proposed site for the Wisbech incinerator and has said they will do no more.

Andrew Humphrey, of family-run Andrew Humphrey Contracting Ltd, has told MVV Environment – the company behind the 54-megawatt incinerator planned for a site off Algores Way – his firm will carry out no further contract work.

The move comes after his firm carried out a ‘couple of hours’ of work’ on land off New Bridge Lane yesterday afternoon.

Mr Humphrey said the request for the groundworks, which was to clear a path to allow for an ecological survey and also a survey of trees to be carried out – had come from MVV Environment, with no mention of the incinerator.

He said he was unaware of the name of the company building the project, which was given the go-ahead just before last year’s general election.

Mr Humphrey said the contract did mention the Medworth Project, but again he was unaware that was the official name for the incinerator.

He said: “We have now told them we will not be carrying out any more work for them.

“To be honest it was quite a lot of work we have turned down, but I know that the bulk of the town is against the incinerator and I wanted to show them support.”

However, Mr Humphrey did say that it was positive that MVV Environment had stated its desire to use only local firms for the majority of the project – even if many, like his company, might not want to take it up.

He said: “A lot of projects that get carried out in Wisbech are given to contractors from away. For instance, the work at the hospital has involved companies from Suffolk and Norfolk.

“Nestle Purina is having a lot of work carried out on their site and the contractors are from somewhere in North Lincolnshire. It would be good if these projects could go to local firms, we have all the expertise and experience needed here in Wisbech, so there is no reason why the work should not be given out locally.

“We all have to earn money to keep going, but it is getting harder and so it would be great if big projects are allocated to firms in the two or in Fenland. I am nearing retirement age and I would like to pass the business on to both my sons who work with me.”