Division in Lee Mill over plans for an incinerator
LEE MILL residents and businesses were deeply divided last night over plans to build an incinerator near the village outside Plymouth.
Dozens of local people visited a public exhibition by waste firm Viridor. Some welcomed the proposals, which they believe would improve life in the village by rerouting traffic. Many, however, were fiercely opposed.
"This is going to affect me big time," said Neil Tucker, who owns a house and land on the outskirts of the village.
"They think because we're a little community they can ride roughshod over us.
"Why can't the incinerator be built on the old Chelson Meadow landfill site? Will we end up taking rubbish from other counties?"
Monica and Mervyn Evans, who live in the village, said they were "satisfied – so far".
They welcomed Viridor's plan to build a new slip road off the A38 that would divert traffic away from most of the village homes.
The company has yet to discuss the road plans with the Highways Agency and Devon County Council.
Mr Evans said the design of the incinerator was "quite good aesthetically – better than a lot of houses". Mrs Evans said she would closely monitor developments.
The owner of the transport cafe in the village, who did not want to be named, said the new road would have a big impact on his business. "I'm hoping to work closely with Viridor to see if we can get an improved road network."
Jim Robinson, treasurer of Lee Mill Community Association, said: "We will be in the middle of a rubbish dump if this goes through. There's the Langage power station, they're putting in an anaerobic digester at Langage Farm, and now this."
Neil Tugwell, who lobbied visitors to the exhibition, said: "This is very late in the day to do a public consultation. They have known about it for more than 12 months. It's a fait accompli and they're trying to bulldoze it through Devon County Council.
"The county has a duty of care towards its residents to use the best technology, and this is not the best technology. Plasma gassification is the best."
Viridor, which already has a landfill contract with Plymouth City Council, has been short-listed to build an incinerator to handle the waste from Plymouth, Torbay and South Devon.
The company is the first of three bidders to make its plans public, and says it is aiming to apply for planning permission in November this year. Its proposed incinerator and recycling plant would be built at New England Quarry, south of Lee Mill.
The £180million scheme would generate up to 20MW of electricity and, possibly, heat for local businesses and new homes.
Viridor will be holding two more public exhibitions:
Tuesday September 22, 3-8pm, The Watermark, Leonards Rd, Ivybridge.
Thursday September 24, 3-8pm, Yealmpton Community and Resource Centre, Yealmpton.
14 Comments
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by Reg, Efford
Friday, September 18 2009, 4:58AM
“Bogeyman, Wonderland - unfortunately the needs of the many, out weights the views of the few.”
by Mick, Barbican
Friday, September 18 2009, 4:25AM
“Quote- "Viridor's plan to build a new slip road off the A38 that would divert traffic away from most of the village homes"
Ah, but "most" homes might mean 51%, leaving the other 49% at the mercy of a stream of huge noisy lorries..;)”
by b_mused, Saltash
Thursday, September 17 2009, 10:39PM
“If local opinion in Lee Mill is divided, the plant should go there. Opposition to the Ernesettle site (local and Saltash) is virtually 100%.
Apart from the above, it makes good sense to have the plant near the centre of the area it is proposed to serve.”
by David Mavin, Eggbuckland
Thursday, September 17 2009, 8:54PM
“I am sure that there was an earlier post on this comments page that suggested Plasma Gasification as an alternative to the proposed the incinerator plant.
I looked up the suggestion and found the results interesting, but does anybody know if this technology is commercially operating in the UK and producing the desired results in terms of emissions and power generation?
Also what are the costs compared to the incinerator solution?
Are there any government grants available to this alternative solution?
What this lead me to think is that as we have to concentrate on the solution before forcing the results on a location. I am not suggesting that Plasma Gasification is any better or worse that an incinerator plant but this beautiful area of the country deserves the best solution to this problem, so we should explore all alternatives.
VfM”
by Bogeyman, Wonderland
Thursday, September 17 2009, 1:02PM
“Reg from Efford that is exactly the NIMBY comment I would expect from the lowlife of Efford. Why should the Souht Hams have to dispose of your s**t?”
by Reg, Efford
Thursday, September 17 2009, 11:06AM
“South Hams is the right choice, common sense at last”
by rubydog, south hams
Thursday, September 17 2009, 9:13AM
“More green wash from a company set on making money for its share holders by detstroying the local enviroment and the comunity this will have a devastating effect on the people of Lee Mill and Ivybridge just because you cant see the 90m stacks it dose not mean that it is not affecting your long term health.Its important that the people of Lee Mill are not bought off by the promise of a new slip road what Viridor are planning will be far worse.”
by spike, plymouth
Thursday, September 17 2009, 8:59AM
“the problem probably has something to do with not wanting flames near a source of methane. A blast that size would spread Plymouth so far and wide it wouldn't just be history, it'd be geography.”
by pockets, plymouth
Thursday, September 17 2009, 8:53AM
“Don't understand why it's not being planned for Chelson Meadow. After all, this is a long term accepted disposal area and would lend itself to development for the incinerator. What's the problem?”
by Matt, Plymouth
Thursday, September 17 2009, 8:39AM
“Does it really matter? The council is intent on having the incinerator at Ernesettle. There are some Plymouth councillors & planning officers that have their snout firmly in the French & German troughs (mark my words). So if Viridor is granted permission we simly end up with 2 incinerators.”