Showing posts with label Clean Power. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Clean Power. Show all posts

Wednesday 6 November 2013

Angie Bray MP supports Brent's concern over Harlesden Incinerator pollution

Angie Bray, Conservative MP for Ealing Central and Acton has spoken out against the proposed 'Harlesden Incinerator' LINK

Following the deferral of the item which was due to be discussed in about an hour at Ealing Planning Committee she publishes the speech she had prepared to deliver:

I have been keeping a concerned eye on some of the pollution issues affecting the different parts of Acton for some time. These include the pollution generated by the Horn Lane site, the problems emanating from the Powerday site and the natural concerns that local residents have around the fact that five sites have been identified for waste disposal around Park Royal.  Clean Power's application comes on top of all of this.

My first concern was immediately created at the meeting I had with Clean Power in Parliament, when they came to brief me on their proposals. I asked whether their application was to run one of the five waste sites whose location had been identified by the Council around Park Royal, as part of the Mayor's London Waste Plan. Imagine my surprise when they clearly had no idea what I was talking about. Later it transpired that they were actually proposing to establish potentially a sixth waste site in this corner of my constituency. Obviously, no one expects that the five sites identified by the Council will all be used, but this addition to those that may be would still add substantially to the problems that would be faced by the community - not least: pollution, odours, transport congestion and noise.

My next concern, following on from what I've just said, is that the residents' community in North Acton, who are living alongside Powerday, would, were this application to succeed, find themselves literally wedged between two major waste disposal sites. I don't think any of us would disagree that Powerday is the source of continual problems for local residents, however much the management say otherwise and indeed work to ameliorate the odours and general pollution. There have been times in particularly hot weather where residents are unable to open their windows - such is the stink caused by the site. And then of course there are rats and do I need I go on...

So is it reasonable to expect residents to have to live with yet another waste disposal site - anaerobic digestive or otherwise - just to the other side of them?

Obviously too there will be the nature of the waste traffic. Residents have had to get used to the traffic generated by Powerday's and the Freightliner site's existing operations, but is the Council really going to expect them now to tolerate even more waste lorry traffic that will inevitably arrive as a result of the operations by Clean Power? How much more heavy traffic is this part of North Acton able to sustain without an intolerable impact on the lives of the local residents?

What has been striking to many of us, which I list as my third concern, is the lack of evidence that Clean Power is able to produce to demonstrate how well their operations work on other sites. Clearly, if we had been able to see happy residents close by to a Clean Power site, then that might have helped to allay fears.  But when I go on their website, all I see is a list of would-be sites, which they hope to develop in the future.  Surely the Council will require better evidence than that?

My fifth and final question is about the choice of the site itself. As I understand it, this site is currently safeguarded for HS2.  Now I recognise that there has been much debate about HS2 - and there may have been some who thought that the cross-party support for the project was breaking down - however, last week in Parliament all parties lined up with very few dissenting members, to support the HS2 project going forward. It strikes me that this site will remain HS2's as the project is unrolled. 

So why is Ealing Council even taking time to consider this proposal when we all know that the safeguarding by HS2 remains firmly in place, as does the project itself? As things stand, there is no site for Clean Power to develop, so can we just recognise reality and put a stop to any further blight of this kind on local residents? I notice Brent is focusing very hard on the pollution aspects of this proposal, and both Brent and Ealing pollution experts are calling for rejection of the plan.  I would like to add my voice to theirs.”

Friday 25 October 2013

URGENT: Support the anti-incinerator campaign Saturday morning

It appears that the Harlesden Incinerator proposal will go back to Ealing Planning Committee on November 6th, following its postponement at the August meeting.  Anti incinerator campaigners will be assembling near the proposed site in Chanel Gate Road (turn left from Willesden Junction station and on the opposite side of the road) at 11.30am to demonstrate their continued opposition.  Supporters are urged to bring placards and banners.

This information is from the Stop the Incinerator website LINK

Q and A’s about the application and the story so far

What is the application for?
The application by Clean Power UK Ltd is for an Energy Recovery Centre.It will handle 195,000 tonnes of waste per year
Where is the site?
The site is in Chanel Gate Road, NW10 6UQ. This is technically in Ealing Borough but is within a ¼ mile of properties in Brent. The site is within 150 yards of a densely populated area of Victorian houses. The facility would also be close to a primary school
Why should Brent residents be concerned?
There will be approximately 67 HGV lorries going to and from the site every day. This will add to the already congested road network in Harlesden and on Old Oak Lane. Apart from the noise, vibration and possible smells from the waste, the exhaust emissions from these vehicles will cause severe damage to the air quality in the area
There will also be gases such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide emitted from the waste plant itself, from the FOUR 25metre high chimneys
The polluted air will drift across homes in Ealing, Brent and even Hammersmith and Fulham
What have residents done so far to object to the scheme?
Residents from a wide area have sent over 700 letters of objection to Ealing Council about the application, raising the issues of damage to the air quality and to their residential amenity, noise and smells. A petition has also been forwarded hy HEART of Harlesden with 1324 signatures of objection
What stage is the application now?
Ealing Council are required to make a decision on the application. They have discussed the application already, on 14 August, 2013, but could not reach a decision due to several of the councillors on the planning committee demanding more detailed and concise information about the impact that the facility would have on local residents
It is possibly that they will discuss the application again on 6 November 2013, BUT THIS DATE IS NOT YET CONFIRMED. We will keep this page updated, and notify you by email as soon as we hear
What can residents do now?
Keep spreading the word about the scheme so that as many people as possible in the area hear about it. If the planning meeting does go ahead on 6 November 2013, then there will be a SITE VISIT on 2 November 2013. This is when residents should turn out in force to show the members of Ealing’s planning committee that there is colossal opposition to the plans
If they don’t think that WE CARE – why should THEY CARE!
Why do they call it an Energy Recovery Centre and NOT an Incinerator?
Essentially because it sounds a lot better! The 2 processes that would be used at the facility are pyrolysis and anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion – decomposition of food materials in sealed containers to release gases plant. Pyrolysis – thermal decomposition of waste material.  Whilst it can be argued that the anaerobic process is not incineration, the pyrolysis IS considered in many countries to be a form of incineration for more views on this go to
http://park-life.org/2012/12/heard-about-the-new-incinerator-a-very-dangerous-neighbour/
How is the west London Waste Plan involved?
The West London Waste Plan was drawn up by six London boroughs, including Brent and Ealing to agree a waste strategy and identify suitable sites. They are required by Boris Johnson, to have a strategy in place for dealing with waste. Clean Power and Ealing think the WLWP has no weight and but Brent does. Clean Power uses the mayor’s London Plan, which wants to promote so-called green businesses (waste treatment plants) as its guide
What have the local councillors been doing to help?
Brent councillors have been a huge support to residents. Cllr Claudia Hector and Cllr Van Kawala have worked extremely hard to raise awareness and object to the plans,  Similarly Ealing councillors have supported residents in the campaign against the scheme, and Cllr Kate Crawford spoke in support of Ealing residents at the last planning meeting in August
What is Brent Council’s position on the application?
Both Brent Council and Hammersmith and Fulham Councils are strongly opposed to the plans and have sent their objections to Ealing
What about HS2? Surely that means that the Incinerator cannot be built?
Firstly there is no absolute certainty at this time that the rail link WILL go ahead. There are still consultations and legal challenges taking place
Secondly there is a chance that even if the HS2 rail link was built, the Incinerator could still be built on the site. It would depend on the actual route of the HS2 and, for example, if the link to Northolt is overground or via tunnel
Lastly what does Boris Johnson have to do with the application?
It has been agreed that whatever decision Ealing Council reach, the application will then be passed to the Mayor. He will then make the final decision. This does not bode well as Boris recently approved a similar facility in South London, and the location there was a nature reserve!
So can we win?
Absolutely YES – it is possible for Councils to refuse these applications
A few months ago the residents in Brierley Hill, Dudley, West Midlands fought a long battle against Clean Power and – thanks to the support of their councillors – they won!
We can win too, but we must keep up the fight and show we care about the area we live in

Tuesday 13 August 2013

Urgent call to stop the Harlesden Incinerator

Urgent message from The Island Triangle Residents' Association (TITRA)  

STOP THE DUMP!
Planning Decision
Wednesday August 14th

EALING COUNCIL ARE 
RECOMMENDING APPROVAL

  • The incinerator will burn 198,000 tonnes of  waste every year, just 200  yards from TITRA home
  • Smelly waste will arrive by road (130 lorries per day) along Old Oak Lane,Channel Gate Road
PROTEST Outside Ealing Town Hall at 6.15pm on Wednesday August 14th

ATTEND The Planning Committee immediately afterwards, Ealing Town Hall 7pm

COMPLAIN CALL: Ealing Planning 020 8825 6600
email: planning@ealing.gov.uk

Clean Power's application:  PP/2012/3267 'Planning Application for Energy Recovery Centre, Channel Gate Road, NW10 6UQ'

Saturday 10 August 2013

Community mobilises for clean air and no incinerator




Mark Walker of TITRA speaks to the Planning Committee. He is interrupted by the noise of a lorry accessing the proposed site. There will be many lorries  if the proposal is approved.

Local residents came out in force this morning to greet Ealing councillors who were making a site visit to the proposed Harlesden Incinerator development. Representives of TITRA (The Island Triangle Residents Assocation) spoke to the councillors and will be addressing the Planning Committee at Ealing Town Hall on Wednesday August 14th as will Cllr Zaffar Van Kalwala who represents the Stonebridge ward which is close to the site.

There will be a demonstration outside the Ealing Town Hall on Wednesday from 6.15pm.



Wednesday 24 October 2012

Residents blockade road in incinerator protest


 RESIDENTS blockaded the road on Saturday morning as they stepped up their efforts to stop the development of a waste incinerator plant. 
The Triangle Island Residents’ Association protest aimed to highlight the disruption that Clean Power’s lorries would cause them along Old Oak Lane, Acton, near Willesden Junction. Their temporary blockade ended around midday.

TITRA Chairman Toby Bolland, 40, of Goodhall Street, is concerned the Environment Agency has no control over the transport of waste to the plant.

He said: “They give no thought whatsoever to the fact that trucks have to drive through the middle of the community.

“It’s basically industrial waste they will be processing.”

Entran, an environment consultancy hired by Clean Power, has predicted a reduction in lorry movements from current levels at the site.

However, Mr Bolland claims present movements are unusually high due to a temporary tunnel-digging project taking place He says there would be a reduction with or without the plant once this project ceases.
A surveyor himself, Mr Bolland said: “I know how these documents are produced. It’s all about making the results fit what you want.”
The plans call for access 24 hours a day and TITRA say they are already kept up at night by lorries passing their cottages and causing the buildings to shake.

“It’s just awful,” said Marie Somerville, of Crewe Place. “They go through at night. They’re very noisy and we don’t get any peace”

Daniel Jones, also of Goodhall Street, said: “It’s literally on the doorsteps of these homes.

“Have they provided enough evidence to say whether access is suitable to the site? We don’t think they have. “

TITRA is particularly concerned with potential odour problems from the plant, which will also include four anaerobic digestion tanks.

Clean Power says the site will be kept under negative pressure to prevent odours escaping and that it has an odour management plan.

However, the nearby Powerday recycling plant has long caused neighbours problems, they say.

“We live with the smell of rubbish on a regular basis. We can prove already that odour management plans don’t work,” said Mr Bolland.

“Technology breaks down,” said Mr Jones. “When you’ve got tons and tons of putrid organic waste on a site and anything happens to the negative pressure system, then it is going to stink!”