CHAIN update July 2019

July 24, 2019 admin

A Quote from the TATA Incinerator Planning Application – May 2011

‘….. a primary purpose of the proposed SEP (Sustainable Energy Plant) is to supply steam to the Lostock site.’ (Ref page S-3, para 2.5)

The TATA Northwich Nightmare creeping closer

Northwich residents’ hopes have been dashed by the news that the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has approved TATA’s plans to increase the planned electricity output of the waste incinerator by 50% to take it to 90 megawatts.

The reason for the quote above is as a reminder that the main justification claimed by TATA at the Planning Inquiry in 2011 for building an incinerator in Northwich was allegedly to ensure the future of the Lostock manufacturing facility.

The text of the BEIS decision confirms what CHAIN has been saying all along that the incinerator will have nothing to do with the future of the factory. In fact, it will be a stand-alone power generating station, supplying electricity to the national grid, located, incredibly, in a residential area next to Northwich Town Centre.

CHAIN has studied the BEIS letter and identified a number of flaws which we believe has resulted in some incorrect conclusions and we intend to write to the Secretary of State to bring this to his attention.

Loyal Supporters and CWAC

The BEIS decision records the concerns raised by the three local MPs; Esther McVey MP, Mike Amesbury MP and Fiona Bruce MP. It also mentions the representations by 62 other parties including CHAIN.

Unfortunately, CWAC, whose views as the Relevant Planning Authority were the most significant, decided not to lodge an objection and thereby gave a huge advantage to TATA with the inevitable result in their favour.

No doubt CWAC will disagree, but the record shows that there were several valid grounds on which the Council could have objected; for example, the physical incapacity of King Street to cope with the projected huge increase of HGV traffic.

These were pointed out by CHAIN and others at the relevant time last September but were totally ignored by the bureaucrats in Chester and their political masters.

Incidentally, the same council cannot explain its original decision in 2011 to allow nearly 700 more HGVs per day on King Street between 7.00am and 7.00pm above the current level because it expects people to believe that the evidence has disappeared and the officers involved have ‘left the Authority’.

In plain words; a cover up that many believe puts the safety and health of Lostock and Rudheath residents, particularly children, at serious risk.

The other waste incinerator coming to Northwich

Just to remind you, in 2017 CWAC Council gave planning permission to OWM Limited for a 200,000 tonne per annum waste burning incinerator in Lostock, a third of the size of the nearby TATA monster.

Many residents are still not aware of this because the council failed to go through the correct consultation arrangements.

CHAIN has challenged the officials on this but has been ignored. Any news we receive on the project, we will, of course, pass on to you.

You may also wish to contact your MP or CWAC councillor and ask them to find out what has been going on. ‘They work for you’, as they say.

The Climate Emergency to be sorted by a committee of councillors

Both Lostock incinerators will release over 2000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every single day plus a vast volume of toxic Nitrogen Oxide from the hundreds of additional HGVs on local roads.

The smidgeon of good news is that CWAC Council has established a ‘Climate Emergency Taskforce’ comprised of eight councillors.

According to the Guardian report, its first job will be ‘to work out borough’s current environmental picture’ whatever that actually means.

In our opinion, the group must prioritise putting right the irresponsible decisions the council has made on both Lostock waste incinerators that will be disasters for the earth’s climate. Walk the talk.

Wastetown Northwich

If you have not yet seen it, please take a look at the Wastetown video on You Tube. It has had over 800 unique views which is amazing.

Our purpose in releasing it was an attempt to counteract the conspiracy of silence in Northwich among estate agents, the builders and developers and the council that exists to prevent prospective house purchasers knowing about the incinerators and taking informed decisions before moving into the area and putting their families’ wellbeing and their savings at risk.

Thanks, as ever, for your support. Please share this Update as you feel appropriate.