Veolia given until end of July to submit further evidence relating to rainworth EfW plans

Veolia Environmental Services Nottinghamshire have been given until the end of July by the Planning Inspector to circulate a shadow assessment of building and operating an energy from waste (EfW) facility in Rainworth, Nottinghamshire.

The call comes as a result of the pre-Inquiry meeting into the controversial incinerator planned for the former colliery site. This meeting follows the second postponement of the public inquiry which is now scheduled to take place on Tuesday September 28, almost a year after the first inquiry began.

As previously reported in MRW, the site, once a car park servicing the former Rufford Colliery, is currently a nesting site for endangered birds and Veolia is required by the Planning Inspector to demonstrate whether building the incinerator is likely to have any adverse effects on the birds.

The Inspector has now set a strict deadline for the assessment, warning Veolia that failure to rule out adverse effects could mean that the Secretary of State would refuse planning permission for the EfW proposal for this reason alone.

The Pre-Inquiry meeting also confirmed that People Against Incineration (PAIN), who have been fiercely campaigning against Veolia’s plans, will be allowed to submit further evidence to the Inquiry.

Veolia’s report is due to be released by the end of July with any new Proofs of Evidence will need to be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate no later than September 10 to allow the Inquiry to resume for its scheduled date on September 28.

PAIN spokesman Shlomo Dowen said: “The Inspector has called time on Veolia, reminding them that it was their responsibility to put their best evidence before the inquiry to allow the Secretary of State to make a decision one way or the other.”