Campaign group says Wisbech incinerator will bring 'no benefit at all'
Plans for the site have been approved by the government
A campaign group has said it couldn't do any more to fight plans to build a £300 million incinerator in Wisbech.
The government has given the go-ahead to MVV Environment Limited's plans to build one of the biggest incinerators of its kind in Europe off Algores Way and create up to 700 jobs during construction.
The firm aims to burn more than 600,000 tonnes of waste a year while generating more than 50 megawatts of electricity from the Medworth Energy from Waste Combined Heat and Power Facility.
On its website, MVV Environment Limited says it will look to supply steam to local factories and will take around three years to build the incinerator.
"There is no benefit to Wisbech at all"
Ginny Bucknor's been campaigning against the plans for the last four years on behalf of the Wisbech Without Incineration group.
"There is no benefit to Wisbech at all from any perspective; it's very hard to find anybody who can give a rational argument for why it should be in Wisbech, nobody wants it.
"Hundreds of lorries a day of any old rubbish not sorted, can you imagine the impact this will have on our food factories who are adjacent to this proposal? It makes no business sense.
"We've done our best; we've had a fabulous team of people who've stuck with us."
Why have the plans been approved?
In a report the Planning Inspectorate, which oversees developments of national significance, said the incinerator "makes a positive contribution to addressing the need for new nationally significant electricity infrastructure by using waste for the production of electricity and heat".
The report said the plans would bring employment and local economy benefits, reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and assess the effects of the incinerator on waste plans.
The Planning Inspectorate also found the plans show "an effective system for managing hazardous and non-hazardous waste from the construction, operation and decommissioning of the proposed development."
You can read the full recommendation report here.
"The government has let us down"
MPs and local councils, including Cambridgeshire County Council, have previously shared their concerns over the plans.
In a letter to Ms Coutinho ahead of the decision, Environment Secretary and North West Cambridgeshire Steve Barclay said the "size of the facility is unsuitable for the area" and highlighted other worries around the impact on health and traffic.
Former Prime Minister and South West Norfolk MP Liz Truss, whose constituency lies near the Wisbech site, has also opposed the move.
Cllr Steve Tierney, Fenland district councillor for Wisbech South, said: “It is a dark day for Wisbech.
"The Government and its representatives have let us down, democracy has been ignored in favour of corporate interests.
"We did not deserve this; I’m disgusted.”
County councillors have also shown their disappointment to the decision.
Councillor Lorna Dupre, chair of Cambridgeshire County Council's environment and green investment committee, said: “The Minister’s decision is a huge disappointment to all of us locally who have opposed the Wisbech incinerator proposals and fought against Medworth MVV’s proposals for the edge of this historic town.
“Whilst we fundamentally disagree with the government’s decision and do not believe it is in the best interests of the people of Wisbech, we recognise the Secretary of State’s authority on the matter."
Last year Paul Carey, managing director at MVV Environmental Limited, said the company has made "a strong commitment to achieving net zero by 2040 and to be climate positive thereafter".
MVV Environmental Limited added it looks to "create a new business for Wisbech to avoid transporting the waste overseas and to generate decentralised, and in part, renewable energy for local businesses."