The hopes of stopping a mega-incinerator being built in Wisbech now rest on whether or not legal action by Fenland District Council is successful or a change of government.
The announcement yesterday (Wednesday) that MVV Environment – the German-based firm behind plans for the 54megawatt burner off Algores Way – has been granted a permit for the facility by the Environment Agency has left campaigners devastated.
The Environment Agency’s decision followed the lifting of a government embargo on the issuing of permits for new incinerators, that had been expected to remain in place for 12 months while a review of the current incineration capacity nationwide was carried out.
However, the embargo was lifted on Friday (24) just two days after the election was called by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
Now lead campaigner Ginny Bucknor, of the Wisbech Without Incineration group (WisWIN), says hopes of stopping the incinerator from being built lies solely on whether or not Fenland Council’s bid for a judicial review of the planning permission is successful, or if a new government decides to review the country’s incineration needs.
She says there is already evidence that there is over-capacity with the number of incinerators already agreed and up and running, which is why the government put the embargo in place.
Ginny said: “The original plan was for the embargo to remain in place for 12 months so the review could take place, but it lasted just five weeks and it was lifted within two days of the election being called.
“We know where the current government stands on the Wisbech incinerator because it has given permission for it to go ahead, but we don’t know where the Labour party or the other parties stand.
“What we need now is to put the topic of incineration on the election agenda, which is why we are now asking people to write to ITV ahead of the first televised debate between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer on Tuesday, June 4, so we get the question of incineration discussed.
“ITV are asking for people to submit questions. If MANY of us write, we may be lucky enough to get our question asked. It will have to be generic (rather than specific to Wisbech) but something on the lines of: ‘Thousands of people around the country campaign against proposals to build many more mega incinerators in the UK. Scotland and Wales have placed a moratorium on any further incinerators because people are recycling more and there’s empirical evidence that we already have over capacity.
“The Government was planning to hold a review for one year to consider this. Instead, their review lasted a few weeks, and the result of that is unpublished. If you become Prime Minister in July what will you do?’”
She pointed out that issuing of the permit means there will be no more public consultation on the Wisbech incinerator.
Ginny said: “There were strong arguments for refusing the Wisbech incinerator made following the public consultation which the then Secretary of State, Claire Coutinho, decided not to accept. So nothing will change under the present Government.
“However if all the polls are right and there is a change of Government, they could accept the view of the Parliamentary Climate Change Committee, UKWIN, and others that the UK already has over-capacity so could stop all further incinerator plans. So we have to keep on campaigning and fighting for the right outcome.”
Ginny pointed out that people need to use their own words rather than simply copying and pasting what she has written on the WisWIN Facebook page, but her words can be used as a template.
Thirty people have already sent their question into ITV ask your question. but she is hoping as many others as possible will do the same.
She said: “We have got to continue the fight and hope that any new government will realise the implications and the damage the Wisbech incinerator will cause.”
