Call for continued opposition to mega incinerator proposals

A councillor is calling on colleagues to maintain their opposition to the proposed mega incinerator planned for neighbouring Wisbech.Alexandra Kemp has tabled a motion to Thursday’s full meeting of West Norfolk Council asking the authority to express its “continued strong opposition” to developer MVV Energy’s proposed 625,000-tonne capacity incinerator on land off Algores Way industrial estate.Her motion follows in the wake of last month’s controversial decision by the Secretary of State for the Department for Energy and Net Zero, who approved the proposal, which had been objected to by residents and local authorities including West Norfolk borough and Norfolk county councils.

She asked members to “note with alarm” the granted consent order – which could be subject to a legal challenge as Fenland District Council agreed last month to look into what options it has following the decision.In her motion, Ms Kemp, a borough councillor and a Norfolk County councillor for Lynn South and Clenchwarton, asked West Norfolk colleagues to “recognise that the operation would be carbon intensive and increase net carbon emissions, against the Norfolk Climate Change Strategy and achievement of Net Zero”.She said new facilities of this nature went against All Parliamentary Group advice on air pollution and her motion added: “The council wishes to prevent the bringing of London’s waste onto the Fens road network, and the shipping of toxic waste into Lynn’s port for transportation onto West Norfolk’s congested road network to Wisbech”.

She said she hoped the borough council would “play a full part in any upcoming Judicial Review and make strong representations against the facility to the court and will write to the government”.Medworth Energy wants to build the combined heat and power incinerator. The Secretary of State’s decision cannot be appealed but there may be a chance to challenge it at Judicial Review.West Norfolk Council did express its concern following the approval when cabinet member for climate change and biodiversity, Michael de Whalley, described it as “awful news” adding the government appeared to have ignored its own advice.