Update information regarding the Shanks application to construct and operate a Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) Plant at New Inn at the old Rechem Plant Site. Planning Application number 07/P/14880(E)

 

Dear Fellow Residents

 

Although we have been actively pursuing this subject since last May we have had no exact information to pass onto you although you may have seen articles in the Argus and Free Press this month. However, we can now advise you that because of the extent and detail of the application, the sensitive nature and location of the proposed plant and not the least because of the number of your written objections the Planning Committee decided, last October, to defer a decision on this application to full council.

 

We have now been advised that this full council meeting will be held on Tuesday February 5^th at 5 pm in the council chambers at Pontypool Town Hall. To ensure that the councillors are fully aware of the height of objection to this application it is imperative that as many residents as possible attend the meeting. We urge you to attend if at all possible.

 

The Planning Department has indicated to us that all those residents who signed a letter of objection will receive an official notification of this meeting. The meeting will be open to all members of the public as well as those who signed letters.

 

The NAG will taking up objector third party speaking rights that evening and will make a presentation highlighting residents concerns and recommending a refusal to this application.

 

Following are some pertinent points for your information which we will use to argue our case:

 

• TCBC has not yet decided upon a specific waste strategy. We believe that no planning decisions should be made until after that.
• The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) is studying a sustainable waste strategy for Wales. This report is not due until later this year and will act as a guide for local authorities. Again we believe that no planning decision should be made until after that either. WAG notes also it will neither advocate MBT nor financially support it. A key policy objective in the WAG strategy on waste is “Recycling” combined with composting.
• The planning authority has received a letter from Paul Murphy expressing his reservations about this plant and the effect on local residents.   
• MBT is expensive, inefficient and not a final solution. 50%-70% of input may still go to landfill.
• The contract with Shanks will be for 25 years. Does TCBC want to commit to such inappropriate technology for this time period? Caerphilly Council rejected MBT as an option last year as it is too costly and does not fulfil Caerphilly’s green targets.  
• We are extremely concerned about the excess capacity of this plant. The Shanks input figures are excessive compared to the SE Wales Regional Management Plan for 2013. Shanks business plan also assumes 3 local authorities will use the plant – TCBC, Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr. However we understand that Merthyr Council is now in partnership with Rhonda Cynon Taff. Hence, it will not be one of the three authorities and therefore the noted volumes per annum will be further reduced.
• This input shortfall means Shanks may bring in material from outside of S.E. Wales to boost production in direct contravention of the Proximity Principle required by WAG and TCBC, which is designed to dispose of waste close to the source of origin.
• In TCBC under current systems of kerbside twin bins, black box recycling and other initiatives it is anticipated the volume will decrease even further. In November 2007, for example, 38% of municipal waste was recycled.
• Approximately 600 letters of objection were presented to the Torfaen Planning Authority in July 2007 - a considerable opposition.

 

 

New Inn Action Group

18^th January 2008

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