PRESS RELEASE BY CAPEL ACTION GROUP

ON THE PLANNING INSPECTORS' REPORT FOLLOWING PUBLIC EXAMINATION OF THE SURREY WASTE PLAN

The Capel Action Group (CAG) is extremely disappointed that the Inspectors' Report has “on balance” decided that the Clockhouse Brickworks site should remain in the Surrey Waste Plan (SWP), despite the strong legal and planning policy arguments, that were put forward on behalf of CAG and others at the Examination in Public, and the fact that it is the least appropriate site for major development identified in the SWP.

CAG continues to believe that the SWP is unsound and its legal advisers are carefully considering the lawfulness of the Report with a view to challenging the adoption of the SWP by Surrey County Council.

CAG is disappointed at the Report's overall conclusions, but notes the significant implications for the way ahead that result from the Report. 

The very fact that Clockhouse is no longer designated as "preferred", and that the green belt constraint has been removed, placing it on a level playing field with four other sites, demonstrates how much the position has evolved ¹. The Inspectors' conclusive finding of substantial mineral void space availability, offering landfill, underlines that there is no need for a flawed and hasty move to mass burn incineration while further and more advanced processes become available

². Mass burn incineration is an old, dirty and wasteful technology, which should form no part of a 21 st century solution to generating value from household waste ³.

Accordingly, the present Clockhouse Application should be withdrawn forthwith to avoid yet further expenditure of public funds in processing an Application that does not address all the issues raised by the Report. If the Application is not withdrawn, and given the history of the site, CAG strongly believes that the Application should be referred to the Secretary of State for determination.

The residents of Capel have had the threat of a mass burn incinerator hanging over them for almost ten years. Surrey County Council has pursued its intent myopically, despite having been roundly defeated in the High Court in 2002, following its first attempt to land an incinerator in Capel. The residents of Capel will continue to fight “tooth and nail” against the prospect of a mass burn incinerator. CAG will challenge any Application that does not address, and properly evaluate, the issues in the Report, which must now be taken into account. 

Notes

¹ The four other sites are at Charlton Lane , Shepperton; at Martyrs Lane , Woking ; at land adjacent to Trumps Farm, Longcross and at land at the former airfield, Wisley.

² Such as plasma gasification, which the Inspectors note “produce zero emissions to air” (para 4.5).

³ The experience in Newhaven of increased financial cost and a successful challenge to a IPPC licence application show how necessary it is for a fresh approach to be taken in tackling waste disposal issues in Surrey .

Capel Action Group

27 December 2007

Contacts

Dino Adriano 01306 711366

Paul Garber 01306 711015