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Get ready to fight plea - as preliminary hearing on Wisbech incinerator could be just weeks away




Campaigners fighting plans to build a mega-incinerator are urging local authorities to be prepared as the Planning Inspectorate gears up to hold its first meeting on the proposals.

Ginny Bucknor, lead campaigner with Wisbech Without Incinerator (WisWIN), said the next stage of the planning application will be a preliminary meeting with a date due to be announced shortly.

The examining authority will carry out an initial assessment of principal issues derived from its reading of the application by German-based MVV Environment Ltd and the relevant representations received and then hold the preliminary meeting.

Leading campaigner Ginny Bucknor is urging local authorities to be prepared.
Leading campaigner Ginny Bucknor is urging local authorities to be prepared.

Mrs Bucknor has written to all three local councils: Fenland District, Cambridgeshire County and Wisbech Town asking them what preparations they have made and whether they have expert consultants ready to put their cases against the 54mega watt burner.

In her letter to the leader of Cambridgeshire County Council Lucy Nethsingha she pointed out the county did provide such a consultant when fighting plans for an incinerator at Waterbeach - the proposal was thrown out last year.

She said: "We anticipate the preliminary meeting could be held at any time but 'shortly' could mean within the next few weeks and we would not wish the council to be unprepared and we would hope already working in preparation."

Protests against the Wisbech incinerator have been held over the past three years since news it was being proposed became public.
Protests against the Wisbech incinerator have been held over the past three years since news it was being proposed became public.

Writing to Wisbech Town Council clerk Terry Jordan and Nick Harding, Fenland's head of planning, she asked both what the situation was with regards to consultants especially as the town council set aside a £30,000 budget to pay for an expert to fight the incinerator.

She wanted to know from Mr Harding what the legal position was regarding Algores Way off of which lays the site chosen by MVV for the Medworth Energy from Waste Combined Heat and Power Facility.

The question comes after Cambridgeshire's highways department said in its initial response to the application that Algores Way linking to the site is not a public highway beyond Britannia Way and is believed to be owned by Fenland District Council.

The Fenland Citizen is standing side by side the community in the fight against the Wisbech incinerator. (61819089)
The Fenland Citizen is standing side by side the community in the fight against the Wisbech incinerator. (61819089)

As the district council owns the land the highways authority has no statutory function in relation to it or any streets created as a result of the development.

MVV Environment has announced plans to carry out compulsory purchase orders on pockets of land around their chosen site, including some owned by Network Rail, who in their response said if the incinerator went ahead it would jeopardise the re-opening of the Wisbech rail link.

Mrs Bucknor questions whether the developer can legally instigate a compulsory purchase order on Fenland Council owned land.

She also reiterated: "This proposal will have the most major detrimental impact on everyone in Wisbech and the surrounding villages for decades and we do need to have confidence and assurance that our councils are working hard to try to ensure this monolith does not get built."

In the meantime she is still awaiting a response from the Environment Agency after she challenged it over its response to the application.

She said: "I challenged the Environmental Agency's response since it seemed unaware the company were proposing to build on a flood plain, unaware of a near breach in 2013 from the River Nene and the EA's responses used outdated maps. I received two telephone calls and a promise of further advice this month and to date have heard nothing further."

Mrs Bucknor is also hoping that local nature lovers may be able to help bring a new environmental objection to the proposals after a decision due earlier this month on plans to build an incinerator in nearby Boston was deferred until July following the recognition of harbour seals in The Wash.

She said: "We know seals are regularly spotted in the river at Wisbech but we have no actual evidence to prove it. I would love to hear from anyone who has spotted a seal in the river in town, especially those who may have taken a photo of it. This could be a useful added reason why the Planning Inspectorate should refuse the Wisbech incinerator."

Anyone with images of seals in the River Nene in Wisbech is asked to contact WisWIN on 07577846632 or by posting them in the campaign groups's Facebook page.



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