Controversial incinerator permit given approval by Calderdale leaders

Calder Valley Skip Hire Ltd applied to Calderdale Council to operate a small waste incinerator plant at Belmont Industrial Estate, Rochdale Road, Sowerby Bridge, a year after winning a planning appeal in which a Planning Inspector gave permission for it to go ahead.

The verdict overturned the council’s original refusal decision.

Cabinet members appeared unhappy about reaching the decision but Coun Jenny Lynn (Lab, Park) said the permit conditions made it self-evident that in event of operation giving rise to pollution that would endanger public health such a breach would be grounds for immediate cessation of work.

Coun Scott Patient (Lab, Luddenden Foot), who is Cabinet member for Climate Change and Resilience, said government needed to change tack on incinerators.

Calderdale was moving towards net zero emissions by changing the way it did things but feeling compelled to allow the permit showed legislation had to change.

“Our hands are tied in a way.

“Collectively we need to change our ways and government needs to change legislation for things like incinerators going forward,” he said.

Three councillors from affected wards argued against allowing the permit raising concerns about impact on wildlife, public health with Sowerby Bridge already subject to Air Quality Management status because of poor air quality.

They raised concerns about overseeing authorities – part of the site is subject to a permit overseen by the Environment Agency – and about details they felt were absent from the permit’s wording.

Coun Adam Wilkinson (Lab, Sowerby Bridge) is a Cabinet member but after campaigning against the incinerator for five years was not allowed to vote on the decision, but was allowed to speak.

He argued further reports were needed to clarify aspects of the permit, for example about particulates, and as some planning conditions had not yet been met, there was time to examine matters further.

Coun Geraldine Carter (Con, Ryburn) raised concerns including monitoring and technical issues about the waste plant’s operation.

Coun Mike Barnes (Lab, Skircoat) questioned case study data included in a report to Cabinet – the council had hired a specialist consultant who recommended the permit be allowed, as did council officers – and said further information and clarifications were required.

George Pickles, of the campaigning Benbow Group, said competing permits would just lead to confusion, and there was a gap in information about particulates.

But Michael Krantz, for Calder Valley Skip Hire, said many of these points had been addressed, not least by the Planning Inspector.

The permit allowed for enforcement action by the supervisory regulator, he said – effectively, Cabinet was being asked to re-run the planning inquiry and it could not do that.

“The council cannot revoke a planning permission by refusing a permit and revoking the grounds on which the planning permission was granted.

“In general terms, permit conditions will do the job,” said Mr Krantz.

Usually a decision like this would be taken by council officers under delegated powers but due to the amount of public concern Cabinet had agreed to decide to approve or refuse, the meeting heard.