A County Durham community is once again facing a fight against plans for a controversial waste incinerator on its doorstep.
Durham County Council had already rejected a planning application for an energy-from-waste facility at the former Consett steelworks site, and an appeal from developer Project Genesis resulting in a public inquiry last year saw the Secretary of State uphold the refusal… but now a fresh legal challenge is on the horizon.
The Council this week received confirmation from the firm that it will be issuing a “S288 legal challenge”, which is a statutory review against the Secretary of State’s decision to reject the application for Hownsgill Energy Centre.
The news will bring disappointment to campaigners, who believed they had finally removed the spectre of the incinerator with the finding of the public inquiry.
County Durham Labour Benfieldside Division Councillor, Kevin Earley, said:
“There will be a great deal of anger when news of this latest challenge spreads through communities that would neighbour this horrendous proposal. It’s a prime example of a private business trying to ride roughshod over people – they had a clear “no” from the council, another “no” from government, but here they go again trying to force through this facility that would be a blight on the area.
“The “Say No” campaign worked tirelessly to defeat this twice, but we’re now in the hands of the courts. To say people will be disappointed is an understatement, they will be furious…and rightly so!”
Proposals for Hownsgill Energy Centre would see the erection of a 50m chimney and a plant processing up to 60,000 tonnes of commercial and industrial waste per year. Over 3,500 objections to the scheme were sent to Durham County Council.
County Durham Labour Leader, Cllr Carl Marshall, said:
“This is a slap in the face for the Consett community that campaigned so hard against this plan.
“Until court papers are received, we are in the dark over the grounds for challenge, but whatever they are we will continue to fight this ludicrous proposal.
“There is a place for energy from waste facilities, but that place is certainly not on the doorstep of County Durham families.
“As the world doubles its efforts to create a low carbon future embracing cleaner greener renewable energy sources, County Durham is saddled with this monstrosity belching out pollution over family homes.”