WISBECH INCINERATOR PLAN: Second consultation period announced

The company behind plans to build a mega-incinerator in Wisbech has announced a second non-statutory consultation period.

But opponents of the planned 54 megawatt incinerator are calling on them to reconsider their plans with growing concerns over the coronavirus.

MVV’s consultation which launched last Friday (18) is due to run until October 29.

But due to the pandemic and associated restrictions, the previously planned public exhibitions had to be postponed.

Now Virginia Bucknor, one of the leading campaigners with WISWin (Wisbech Without Incineration), said the company was using the word “educational” to enable it to hold the meetings while the ‘rule of six’ is in place.

But she said people have told her they are reluctant to attend because of the growing numbers of coronavirus cases and said with Monday’s COVID-19 briefing they are even more so.

As a result, Mrs Bucknor, who said her group had been planning to hold socially-distanced protests at the various consultation venues, said she had written to MVV asking them to reconsider and has also asked MPs Steve Barclay, Liz Truss and Robert Jenrick to add weight to her calls.

In a statement announcing the consultation, MVV’s managing director, Paul Carey, said: “Engaging with a wide range of stakeholders has remained a priority throughout this difficult time.

“We can now announce that a second, non-statutory consultation period will commence this week. There will also be a further consultation opportunity, early next year, before MVV finalises its planning application in autumn 2021.”

This latest consultation will incorporate seven public exhibitions over the weeks commencing September 28 and October 12.

There will be venue-specific risk assessments and appropriate precautions in place, in line with the latest government coronavirus regulations.

Locations: October 1 Rosmini Centre, 10am to 4pm; October 2 Wisbech St Mary Sports and Community Centre 2pm to 8pm; October 3 Queen Mary Centre 10am to 4pm; October 13 Marshland St James Village Hall 2pm to 8pm; October 14 Oasis Community Centre 2pm to 8pm’; October 15 Tower Hall, Friday Bridge, 2pm to 8pm; October 16 Walton Highway Village Hall 2pm to 8pm;

MVV’s project team will be at the events to answer questions and listen to concerns. For those unable to attend, the same information will also be available at a number of locations where current planning documents can also be inspected.