Envar appeal medical waste incinerator refusal in Woodhurst

The waste management company Envar Composting Ltd submitted an appeal to the Secretary of State after Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) voted to refuse to grant planning permission on April 19.

Envar's plans include building a healthcare waste energy recovery facility on Somersham Road in Woodhurst, near St Ives, which would lead to the construction of a 26 metre-high chimney stack.

Members of People Opposing Woodhurst Incinerator gathered before the meeting where CCC refused the plans in protest against the incinerator and presented a petition with 4237 signatures. (Image: Newsquest)

The proposed facility would allow for clinical waste, transported to the site from local hospitals, to be incinerated. 

This left villagers outraged due to health concerns and the potential impact on the area.

RECOMMENDED READING: Plans for controversial medical waste incinerator in Huntingdonshire refused

Reacting to the appeal, People Opposing Woodhurst Incinerator (POWI) member Lorna Watkins said: "We're gutted but not surprised by Envar's decision to ignore local concerns.

"It's all about the money for them. They have zero regard for the people who would be living or farming in the shadow of a chimney, burning hazardous clinical waste around the clock.

"We hope the Planning Inspector will listen to the thousands of local objectors and shove this plan where it belongs - in the bin."

More than 100 protestors gathered within the town centre of St Ives whilst a Q and A session was being held by Envar in 2021. (Image: David Glover)

The opposition group and villagers were notified of the appeal after a letter was sent by CCC which added: "The appeal will be determined on the basis of an inquiry...Arrangements for the Inquiry are currently being finalised by the Planning Inspectorate."

The appeal is dated as officially starting from October 30, and groups and organisations are invited to take an active part in the inquiry if they wish and have until Monday, December 4, to make a representation.

Increased traffic and highway dangers, noise levels, impact on health and air quality and whether the incinerator is needed are some of the many points being used to argue against the incinerator and are expected to feature in the inquiry.

RECOMMENDED READING: 'We do not want this' - action group step up fight against incinerator

Why did the plans first get refused?

Five of the nine councillors at the CCC planning meeting on April 19 marginally voted in favour of refusing Envar's application despite officers recommending that planning permission be granted.

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Cllr David Connor put forward a proposal to reject the application, seconded by Cllr Mandy Smith, due to the adverse impact the scale of the chimney would have on the landscape, harming the visual amenity of nearby businesses and residents.

Additionally, the perceived health and well-being risks an incinerator would create were deemed to outweigh the benefits of allowing the co-location of the incinerator with existing waste streams at the site already.

Officers, however, noted that advice from air quality consultants was that the proposed development would not have an adverse effect on air quality.

At the meeting, Cllr Sebastian Kindersley said: "We're being completely and totally illogical, and we're making fools of ourselves if we think any of this is going to last for more than four seconds in front of a planning inspector.

However, Cllr Keith Prentice argued that the council should not be frightened to go to the inspectorate and that as a council, "we have to listen to what people have said and support them."