Last Updated 26 November 2007 18:00
Important Development
Your chance to stop all work on the incinerator!
I am not sure if you have noticed that Ineos have placed a Public Notice in the local papers advertising (as they must) that they have released additional information relating to the incinerator. The Action Group have looked carefully at the documents and we are amazed to find that despite information contained in the original application there are at least three 'new' documents that condemn that application as misleading and inaccurate. The first is a methodology statement of how they plan to eliminate the Japanese Knotweed, the original documents assured everyone 'There is no Japanese Knotweed on the site'
The other two are amphibian and reptile surveys.
The original Environmental Impact Assessment went to great lengths to note that the site contained 'No great crested newts, no suitable ponds and no suitable habitat'. However we now see from the two reports in the 'Additional Information' that in fact the site has several ponds and is classified by Natural England as containing a 'small breeding colony of great crested newts'.
This is a fundamental inaccuracy and has serious implications because Ineos used, as part of their justification for the project, that Natural England had no objections and on the basis of the information originally supplied this was true. However the presence of the newts will seriously affect the position of Natural England and any other bodies such as the 'Cheshire Amphibian Group'.
If now the true state of the site, as verified by professional surveys, carried out at the correct time have confirmed that there are breeding great crested newts on the site it may be that Natural England will ask, as we certainly will, how Ineos, proposing a commercial venture to build a private power station with themselves as the only user would attempt to justify conditions in the 'Great Crested Newt Mitigation Guidelines' that state that in order to obtain a licence to move the newts off site;
"In order to obtain a licence it must be demonstrated that the project is for the purpose of preserving public health or public safety or other imperative reason of overriding public concern."
As the 'Additional Information' also contains admissions that the residential housing adjacent to the site was missed, that the original site survey missed the presence of Japanese Knotweed (which incidentally can grow up to three metres high - but as the same people missed fifty odd houses in Percival Lane I suppose that it is understandable!) and that another survey into the chimney height calculations has raised questions about the methods used it is essential that the original information as supplied by Ineos is not allowed to stand uncorrected when the Minister is making his decision.
It is also true that now the presence of the newts is recognised no work on the site that would cause them disturbance should be allowed. Therefore the more people who are made aware of the situation, the more people who object the more we have a chance of getting the application rejected by the Secretary of State or as a minimum ensure that all these mistakes, omissions and 'economies with the truth' are fully exposed in a Public Inquiry.
The Action Group would therefore urge you to write in or send an e-mail to ;
Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
c/o Bay 2121
1 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0ET
or
Robert.Pridham@berr.gsi.gov.uk
( Please ensure that any communication includes your full name and address and that any letter is signed otherwise it will totally ignored )
The closing date for objections to this additional information is 4th Jan so it is vitally important that you get your communication in as soon as possible. It would also help the Action Group if you could forward a copy of your letter or e-mail to Sue Bowden via the Halton Breathe website.
Please do not miss the opportunity to make a real difference to the way in which the incinerator is considered by the Secretary of State. If you require any of the documentation or help with formulating your objection please contact Jeff Meehan by the website.
Don't Delay - Write Today
From Jeff Meehan