Thomas Clarkson Academy in Wisbech engages specialist to help with submissions on incinerator as campaign gathers momentum
Posters and banners are appearing across Wisbech as part of the on-going fight to stop a mega waste incinerator being built in the town.
Momentum for the campaign to stop MVV Environment Ltd's plans to build a 50 megawatt incinerator on land off Algores Way is gathering pace with meetings and protests planned for the coming weeks.
The first of these will be next Sunday (March 8) on South Brink, where the Wisbech Without Incineration - WISWin are asking supporters to meet at 2.30pm as campaigners launch an appeal to local businesses to get behind them.
Another major development is the announcement by the Brooke Weston Trust which runs the Thomas Clarkson Academy that they plan to hire specialists to help them make submissions against the incinerator.
In a letter to Virginia Bucknor, one of those leading the WIS Win campaign Tim Laws the trust's senior operations manager, said: "The trust and the academy are concerned about these proposals and intend to monitor developments very closely. Representatives of the trust will be in attendance at the consultation events planned for March and April 2020.
"It is vital that the proposed development is robustly scrutinised and we undertake to monitor each stage of the development and planning process, providing representation via the official channels as may be appropriate. To that end, the trust intends to engage a specialist consultant to support us in this endeavour and make representations. In due course we will forward their contact details to parties who may wish to get in touch with them.
"The academy will make students aware of the proposals and encourage them to take an active interest in the development, associated activities and community response."
Mrs Bucknor, one of those leading the WISWin campaign, explained the aim is to distribute letters to big manufacturers including Nestlé Purina and Lamb Weston, calling on them to help stop the incinerator from being built, and asking landowners not to aid MVV Environment's plans by either selling or leasing land close to the chosen site, which abuts New Bridge Lane.
Mrs Bucknor said: "We have chosen South Brink for Sunday's 'Show Our Unity' event because it is on a busy route into town so it will help raise awareness. We will be hand delivering letters to businesses and we have special badges to give out to the first 200 people who turn up.
"We will also be tying yellow ribbons around trees and on the fence. The response from people wanting to put posters up in the cars and windows has been great.
"We want as many on show as possible ahead of MVV's managing director coming to town on March 16 for a meeting. He has confirmed he is coming, but we don't know where he will be or what time as they haven't confirmed details.
"On Sunday we will have paper copies so people can sign MP Steve Barclay's petition against the incinerator. Not everyone has access to a computer so can't sign it online. We will pass all the signatures on to him."
In the meantime Wisbech Town Council, which held a special meeting on Monday night to discuss a motion against the incinerator proposed by Councillor Steve Tierney, has organised a public meeting for Friday March 13 at 6pm at the Queen Mary Centre where Mr Barclay will be among the speakers.
The town council has also had printed 10,000 letters which will be going out before the meeting and councillors have also added information to their newsletters, which will be going out shortly.
Coun Tierney said: "The motion has already been agreed by Fenland District Council, and now the town council, I will be approaching the county council to see if we can get it passed there too making the hat-trick - which would be great.
"We need to send a very strong message to the developers of this monstrosity that we do not want it in our town."
