Plans to construct MMV Medworth incinerator near Wisbech are approved by Government

Plans to construct an incinerator on the outskirts of Wisbech have been given the go-ahead by the Government.

Despite eleventh hour pleas from MPs, councillors and campaigners, the controversial MMV Medworth proposals have been approved by Claire Coutinho, the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, today.

A decision on the fate of the combined heat and power waste facility had not been expected until tomorrow.

However, documents released by the Planning Inspectorate have confirmed that the incinerator will be allowed to be constructed on the existing waste management site on the Algores Way industrial estate.

They read: “The Secretary of State has considered the overall planning balance and, for the reasons set out in this letter, has concluded that the public benefits associated with the proposed development outweigh the harms identified, and that development consent should therefore be granted.”

The letter goes on to say that despite worries about potential air pollution caused by the incinerator, Ms Coutinho anticipates there will only be a “minor (not significant)” impact.

Approval has been granted for the project despite late pleas for the opposite outcome from North East Cambridgeshire MP Steve Barclay and his South West Norfolk counterpart Liz Truss.

Meanwhile, West Norfolk borough councillor Alex Kemp believes the incinerator will be a “catastrophe” for Wisbech.

MVV says its incinerator will be a “new, state of the art, energy from waste combined heat and power facility”.

The company’s website says: “The proposed energy from waste combined heat and power facility will divert over half a million tonnes of non-recyclable waste from landfill every year, generating over 50 megawatts of electricity and offering the opportunity to supply steam to local factories.

“The development includes not just the energy from waste facility but also the connections to the electricity grid and industrial heat users, and some modifications to the road network.”

It adds that the total investment will be more than £300million, and it is anticipated that construction will take around three years – with up to 700 people employed during that time.

There is no automatic right to appeal the decision.