Kings Lynn EfW plant to undergo public inquiry

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, has called in the planning application for the Willows Power & Recycling Centre in Saddlebow, Kings Lynn.

The decision to start a public inquiry was reached after 65,000 people voted against the incinerator proposed by Cory Environmental and Wheelabrator Technologies in a poll organised by the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, which then wrote to the secretary urging him to take control of the planning application.

Despite having been granted planning permission in June and an Environment Agency permit in July (which Wheelabrator said demonstrates that the facility can be operated ‘without harm to the environment or human health’), the £500 million facility, which could process up to 250,000 tonnes of waste a year and power over 36,000 homes, will now be subject to a public inquiry overseen by an independent planning inspector.

The inspector will look at evidence taken from all interested parties before making a recommendation to the Secretary of State, who will have the final say on the plant’s future.

In a letter written by Ranuka Jagpal on behalf of Eric Pickles to Nick Palmer, Principal Planner for Environment, Transport and Development at Norfolk County Council, it was explained that Pickles decided to intervene in the plan’s application after finding the proposal to concern ‘matters that are of substantial regional and national controversy’.

One such controversy is the belief held by thousands of local residents who wrote to the secretary to campaign against the energy-from-waste (EfW) plant, that it could cause health risks and would not adequately deal with the area’s waste. These are claims which Cory Environmental and Wheelabrator Technologies, have strenuously denied.

As well as appeasing protestors, the decision to call in the planning application has also been welcomed by Norfolk County Council. Graham Plant, Cabinet Member for Planning and Transportation, said: "This can only be a helpful step in reassuring local people about what is a very significant matter for Norfolk.

“We are confident that the application meets all planning policy requirements, that the recommendation made by our planners was correct and that the decision taken by the planning committee was the right one, given national and local planning guidelines.

"The Secretary of State will now have the final decision and as people will be aware, we made it clear in a letter to him as far back as March 2011 that the County Council would provide every assistance should he decide to call in the application, and of course, we will now be glad to do so."

Councillor Bill Borrett, Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste, added: "I have always maintained this process should be done by the book. I note the Secretary of State is particularly looking for further information about how Cory Wheelabrator's planning application fits with some key policy frameworks. The forthcoming inquiry will test all these aspects and the final decision now rests with him. [The] announcement can only bring further peace of mind to those looking for even more reassurance."

John Boldon from the Cory Wheelabrator Consortium said: “We are obviously disappointed that the Secretary of State has decided to ‘call in’ the planning consent for the Willows Power & Recycling Centre and has therefore taken the decision out of the hands of Norfolk’s own waste planning authority.

“However, we strongly believe that our proposals will deliver the most sustainable and long-term solution for Norfolk’s significant waste problem. We will now engage positively with the Planning Inspectorate to demonstrate the numerous merits of our application.”