Fenland District Council vows new ways to fight £300 million incinerator after losing legal battle
Council chiefs aim to keep impact on community to a minimum
Councillors have vowed to find new ways to raise public concerns over a £300 million waste-to-energy incinerator after losing a legal fight.
The pledge from Fenland district councillors comes after they were told there was no realistic chance of overturning a High Court judge’s decision to refuse a judicial review of the planning approval for MVV Environment’s incinerator at Medworth.
There were furious protests from residents and many councils in the area after the waste-to-energy facility at Algores Way, Wisbech, was given the go ahead in February by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Residents say the incinerator will not bring any benefits to the area and is likely to mean hundreds of lorries a day on local roads.
The move by Fenland District Council jointly with other local authorities to seek a judicial review to overturn the Secretary of State’s decision was refused by a a High Court judge last week and further legal advice since then has warned there are no further realistic grounds to oppose the incinerator decision with a judicial review.
READ MORE: ‘Good neighbours’ pledge
In a joint statement, council leader Councillor Chris Boden and Wisbech members Cllr Steve Tierney, Cllr Susan Wallwork and Cllr Sam Hoy said: "It is with great sadness that our application for judicial review was refused.
“We understand that this outcome will be disappointing to many of our residents who supported the judicial review and the fight against the incinerator.
“Whilst the judge has brought our legal challenge to an end, we will continue to seek alternative avenues to address the concerns raised.
"We will work tirelessly throughout the development consent process to ensure that our community’s voices are heard and that the effects of the incinerator are minimised to the greatest possible degree.
They added: “Given the judge’s recognition that there were several deficiencies in the Secretary of State’s decision to approve the incinerator, the council was clearly justified in pursuing an application for judicial review.”
MVV Environment says the incinerator, which will take about 625,000 tonnes a year of household and commercial waste that cannot be recycled and turn it into energy, is expected to create 700 jobs during construction and 42 jobs when the incinerator is completed.