Rainworth incinerator delay welcomed

CAMPAIGNERS say a decision to adjourn a public inquiry into plans for a new Notts incinerator has given more time to find a 'Plan B'.

An inquiry into Veolia Environmental Service Nottinghamshire's plan to build a waste incinerator at the old Rufford Colliery in Rainworth was adjourned for six months yesterday.

Veolia says it plans to press on with the development – despite officials saying further investigations are needed into whether the site is home to protected species of birds.

Campaigner Shlomo Dowen, from People Against Incineration (Pain), claimed the delay had vindicated the group's action against the proposal.

Mr Dowen, 47, of Forest Town, said: "Pain has been saying that Veolia needed to do more homework for the last three years.

"The planning inspector is the first independent person to have looked and listened to what we have said and it seems he has come to the same conclusion."

Mr Dowen was among those to give evidence against the plans during the inquiry, due to be held at the Rainworth Miners Welfare Club over the next three weeks.

But planning inspector Rupert Grantham adjourned the inquiry until April 13, 2010, to allow for Veolia and Natural England to investigate the ecology of the proposed site.

The inquiry was originally adjourned on Tuesday for two days to await evidence from Natural England relating to the site's potential as a Special Protection Area (SPA). The inquiry was told the site may be a breeding ground for the protected woodlark and the nightjar.

However, a statement to the inquiry from Steven Clifton, Natural England's Lead Adviser for Designated Sites in Notts, said the group had "not yet formed a view" on whether the site satisfied SPA guidelines.

Rhodri Price Lewis representing Veolia suggested the adjournment, in spite of an alternative plan to press on with the inquiry without hearing ecological evidence at this stage.

He said Veolia now plans to work with Natural England to assess the site's SPA potential.

Results of the investigation are expected next January.

After the hearing, anti-incineration campaigner Mr Dowen also put pressure on Notts County Council – which supports Veolia's application – to find an alternative way of dealing with the county's waste. "I hope the county council will meet with us in the meantime to discuss its Plan B," he said.

"Its Plan A was for the incinerator to be built by 2009. Now it is looking like there will be no chance of that until around 2015. So the question remains what do we do with our waste in the intervening years?"

Notts County Council has said it would have to review its support if the site in Rainworth was confirmed as having European protection because of the presence of rare birds.

Steve Mitchell, managing director at Veolia ES Notts, said: "We remain confident that an Energy Recovery Facility at Rufford would be the most appropriate waste management solution for Notts residents and we will compile further evidence for this. We are happy the inspector has taken the decision to adjourn the public inquiry and Veolia ES Notts looks forward to carrying out further ecological research on this application."