Council leader wants incinerator plans paused

A council leader has called for a pause to plans for a new incinerator to allow the environmental impact on the local area to be properly assessed.

The facility earmarked for Portland Port was given the go-ahead by the Environment Secretary in September despite initially being refused by the local authority.

In the letter to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Dorset Council leader Nick Ireland urged them to temporarily stop permits being issued while an investigation by the Environment Agency is being carried out.

People have strongly opposed the proposed incinerator and the South Dorset Labour MP, Lloyd Hatton, recently called for an immediate moratorium to delay the plans.

Defra confirmed Secretary of State Steve Reed has received the letter.

The letter says “Dorset is very keen to support” the government’s environmental ambitions and the county is “proud to be pushing down residual waste as England’s number one unitary authority for recycling".

Mr Ireland stated Dorset Council welcomed the "Environment Agency’s decision to reopen the consultation" "for a permit to operate".

He pointed out that "the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero has twice delayed planning decisions on a proposal in North Lincolnshire to enable time for consideration and consultation on the note".

It concludes by saying Dorset Council looks "forward to Defra’s work on residual waste" and he hopes that "evidence will be fully considered in future permitting decisions".

In November, the South Dorset MP, Lloyd Hatton called for a temporary pause on all incinerator projects planned across England.

He does not believe there is a business, community or environmental case for them and said "a waste incinerator on Portland would be bad news for public health, the local environment, and our local economy".

The decision to approve planning permission for an Incinerator at Portland Port was made by Rushanara Ali MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Building Safety and Homelessness, on behalf of the Secretary of State.

In October, campaigners began legal efforts to overturn the decision in a bid to reverse the government's ruling.

Powerfuel Portland said its plant would allow Dorset's non-recyclable waste to be "managed locally in a more sustainable way".

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