Planning approval for £300 million incinerator at Wisbech is still valid, says company boss

The Wisbech waste-to-energy incinerator developer has shrugged off uncertainty over an approval notice for the £300 million facility.

Paul Carey, managing director of MVV Environment, which is behind the plans for the huge incinerator on a site on the Algores Industrial Estate, said the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero’s decision to approve the project was still valid.

He said this was despite the disappearance yesterday of the approval notice from the National Infrastructure Planning’s website.

In its place was a notice that stated: “We have removed previously published content. Clarification is being sought on the Medworth Energy from Waste Combined Heat and Power Facility Development Consent Decision. A further update will be provided in due course.”

But Mr Carey said: “We have received the consent and according to our legal advice this remains valid.

"We are proceeding with the further development of the project in accordance with the development consent order (DCO).”

Mr Carey has previously said that construction of the incinerator was expected to start in 2025 with completion likely to be three years away.

He said: “There is lots of other work to do. There are outline plans that are part of the application which need to be turned into detail and which we need to have in place before construction starts. These will need approval from Cambridgeshire County Council.”

Members of Fenland District Council plan to consider proposals on Monday (February 26) to seek a judicial review to overturn the planning approval.