Rivenhall incinerator decision slammed by MP Priti Patel
Witham MP and longstanding opponent of the Rivenhall incinerator, Priti Patel, has slammed the decision taken by the Environment Agency to issue a notice indicating that they are minded to grant a permit for the controversial waste site. The proposal to grant the permit is subject to a further stage of public consultation, due to last until 6 February and Priti has called on the Environment Agency to explain its decision. If the permit is approved, then the site can be built and can operate, ten years after the last Labour Government first granted it planning permission.
Priti said: “This decision defies common sense and it is unclear why the widespread concerns of communities across this part of Essex have been ignored. The incinerator will cause considerable harm to the environment and the fact that it has taken a decade after planning permission was first granted to get this far, shows how flawed the original decision was.”
“I have been working closely with the local communities affected and campaigners to oppose this harmful and damaging development and will continue to do so. There remain many unanswered questions and the Environment Agency has failed to explain their decision and have not yet fully responded to the many concerns expressed by the public about the permit application.”
Priti, who has also called on the Environment Agency to hold more drop-in events to inform the public about this decision after it was announced that there would be just one such public event on 10th January at Rivenhall Village Hall, said: “The development of the waste incinerator will have a harmful affect across this part of Essex. The Environment Agency must recognise this and give more local communities the opportunity to question this decision and respond to the consultation.”