Incinerator fight continues after EA grants permit

Dorset politicians have vowed to fight on after the Environment Agency (EA) issued a permit for a planned incinerator near the Jurassic Coast.

Planning permission for the energy recovery facility at Portland was granted by the government in September, despite initially being refused by Dorset Council.

South Dorset MP Lloyd Hatton said he would continue to campaign until the incinerator plans were "scrapped".

Powerfuel Portland, the company proposing the scheme, said it was pleased the EA had "not identified any matters of concern".

Campaigners opposed to the energy plant have been granted a judicial review of the planning decision, which will be heard at the High Court on 12 March.

Meanwhile, the EA announced on Thursday it had granted the necessary environmental permit for the incinerator to operate, saying Powerfuel Portland had met all of the necessary criteria.

It said the permit would not affect the legal challenge.

Following the announcement, Mr Hatton said: "This is not the end of the matter.

"The Environment Agency has made a decision to grant a permit, which I strongly, strongly disagree with, however, as it is an independent body, the government or ministers are not able to interfere with its decision-making processes.

"I will be continuing to work with local campaigners to fight for the right outcome, and continuing to press ministers to ensure the proposed incinerator on Portland is scrapped."

Dorset Council leader Nick Ireland said the EA's announcement was "extremely disappointing".

He said: "The reality of is, if the incinerator is built, we will have something that's going to be throwing out nitrous dioxide, sulphur dioxide, arsenic, nickel, chromium - all that sort of stuff - into the atmosphere, below the top of the island and opposite the beach.

"The vast majority of the stuff that will get burned at that facility won't be coming from BCP or Dorset.

"It's not needed at all."

Powerfuel Portland director Giles Frampton said the EA had spent three years reviewing the "environmental permitting impacts" of the incinerator, including air quality and health impacts.

He said: "Powerfuel is pleased... the Environment Agency has not identified any matters of concern."

He said the EA's decision letter stated the permit would ensure a "high level of protection" was provided for the environment and human health.

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