Sowerby Bridge incinerator: Win for people power as planning inspector turns down waste company's appeal

The inspector – John Woolcock – has dismissed an appeal by Calder Valley Skip Hire, which wanted to run a small waste incineration plant at its Belmont site in Sowerby Bridge.

Mr Woolcock concluded he could not find that granting an environmental permit to operate the plant would not have an adverse effect on human health.

Campaigners against the plans had been worried about the impact the plant might have on their air quality and health.

The company has planning permission to run such a plant but needs an environmental permit to operate it and, after considering representations from all sides including at two public hearings, Mr Woolcock was not convinced by the case the company put forward.

He was not satisfied the proposals complied with the relevant industrial emissions directive regarding discharge of emissions in a controlled way.

“Furthermore, I am unable to find that the necessary measures have been taken to ensure that waste management would be carried out without endangering human health, without harming the environment and in particular without risk to air in compliance with Article 13 of the Waste Framework Directive 2008/98/EC,” he said.

“I am unable to find that granting an environmental permit for the plant would not have an unacceptable adverse effect on human health and the environment.”

Councillor Dot Foster (Lab, Sowerby Bridge), said: “The Benbow Group (a residents’ campaign group) and all who have campaigned against this for years are absolutely delighted.”

And Councillor Steven Leigh (Con, Ryburn) said: “This vindicates all of the efforts made by residents and all political parties to continue the fight.

“We are particularly delighted for all the residents who have been having to suffer the prospect of this incinerator appearing in their lives.”

A complicated history saw Calderdale Council refuse planning permission for the incinerator, that decision overturned on appeal, and objectors winning the right to a judicial review of a subsequent decision by the council’s cabinet to grant an environmental permit – after which the permit was quashed.

Following this, the status of the permit application was deemed to be “undetermined” – hence the company’s appeal, which Mr Woolcock has now dismissed.