Hazardous waste treatment plant plans denied

Plans to build a new plant to treat hazardous waste have been narrowly denied planning permission.

The incinerator was proposed for land in Boundary Road West on the Wilton International complex, Grangetown, and would have burned materials including paint sludge, clinical waste and pesticides to create energy from the combustion process.

It was recommended for approval by planning officers but a committee for Redcar and Cleveland Council voted by five to four to refuse it.

Applicant CSG said it was "extremely disappointed" and said it "remained convinced of the overwhelming benefits of this project".

CSG said the £42m investment would have been the first hazardous waste-to-energy processing plant in Teesside, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Meanwhile, Tom Casey, from the campaign group Stop Incineration North East, said "greenwashing terms" were being used and also complained about inadequate public consultation.

Councillor Lynn Pallister, who represents the Grangetown ward and is a member of the committee, said there was a "mass" of incinerators in the area and she was very concerned about the potential impact on residents' health.

"In my opinion CSG should look at another site. There has to be a stop to how many there are in one area," she said.

Meanwhile councillor Dr Tristan Learoyd said the rejection was a "significant victory" for clean air campaigners and residents.

Learoyd said the proposal conflicted with local and national planning policies and an environmental assessment was outdated.

Consultants on the project, ELG Planning, said "thermal combustion" was the only available solution for hazardous organic waste and the UK already sent 64,000 tonnes abroad, which was "inherently unsustainable".

Jen Cartmell, CSG's director of waste treatment, said it was "unclear to us how the committee's decision to refuse followed the guidance of either the Local Plan or the National Planning Policy Framework".

"Pre-application studies showed both air quality effects and odour emissions would be negligible. 

"Furthermore, there were no objections from local residents, or the Environment Agency."

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