Plans for Horsham incinerator extinguished

West Sussex County Council planning committee dismissed the planning application by haulage firm, Britaniacrest, for a “Recycling, Recovery and Renewable” thermal treatment facility in Horsham.

At County Hall in Chichester today  (19th June 2018) the Planning Committee decided in an 8 to 4 vote to dismiss the planning application.

The application was made on 15th March 2018 (WSCC/015/18/NH). The previous withdrawn application (WSCC/ 062/16/NH) by the same company was recommended for refusal by the council officers.

CPRE Sussex, No Incinerator 4 Horsham, community groups, and concerned residents were present at the meeting and cheered on the vote brought forward by Councillor Barnett-Miles and seconded by Councillor Barton.

Norman Clarke of No Incinerator 4 Horsham, David Johnson, Chairman of CPRE Sussex and North Horsham parish council spoke in opposition to the application. Local WSCC councillor Peter Catchpole also spoke to oppose the application.

David Johnson, chairman of the CPRE Sussex said that each statutory authority was ‘passing the buck from one to the other’, while the information and assessment on pollution provided by the applicant was ‘found wanting’. Mr Catchpole described the proposal as a ‘visually colossal ugly incinerator’. He added: “This development is the wrong technology in the wrong place squeezed on too small a site.”

No Incinerator 4 Horsham said:

“Democracy is alive and kicking. We have to thank the 8 WSCC councillors that read the documents, questioned the WSCC officer’s reports and that of the applicant having undertaken their own research to substantiate facts. These councillors acknowledged the visual impact of such a massive industrial building and chimney; the HGV impact on the roads and homes transporting waste to the site from other counties; impact on public health; cumulative impact; concerns over decline in air quality; and that the over 5,500 residents oppose this application.”

“It is felt that this application for a massive industrial incinerator is not of a national or county interest. The incinerator would impact the 6 counties the developer seeks to source the waste from and so does not meet the West Sussex County Council waste plan.”

Read more at: https://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/news/delight-as-incinerator-refused-1-8539148