COUNTY chiefs are set to launch a charm offensive this month to persuade parish politicians to back a controversial bid to build a waste incinerator in Suffolk.
COUNTY chiefs are set to launch a charm offensive this month to persuade parish politicians to back a controversial bid to build a waste incinerator in Suffolk.
Suffolk County Council has earmarked land at Great Blakenham for a £600million incinerator, but there are fears it will churn out fumes which would place people's health at risk.
Now the authority is offering to take politicians form surrounding parish council's on a day trip to London on May 20 to get the low-down on a similar facility.
A spokeswoman for Suffolk County Council said: “The county council is committed to being transparent throughout this process and have offered parish councils the opportunity to visit a modern energy waste facility so they can see what it looks like, how it works and to ask questions to specialists in the field that will be able to give the parish councils a wider understanding of the technology.
“Parish council representatives, in the vicinity of the site which the county council will be offering to the market, have been invited. The visit will take place later this month, and they will be visiting Edmonton, North London and a waste plant operated by London Waste.
“At this stage, we don't know that a residual waste treatment facility will definitely be sited at Great Blakenham as bidders may suggest another location. However we want to ensure that parish councils have a clear understanding of how the site will operate.”
Yesterday, it emerged Great Blakenham is in line for another major development, with the government all-but rubber-stamping the SnOasis winter sports complex.
Council council chiefs have been invited to speak to parish councillors at a meeting next month on the incinerator issue.
Anti-incineration protest group Suffolk Against Incineration and Landfill (SAIL) is currently finalising plans for a meeting, involving presentations from health experts, to highlight the issues involved to the wider public.
Are you in favour of an incinerator at Great Blakenham? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk
End of March 2008 - Tendering process for incinerator got under way
December 2008 - Approval of Inter Authority Agreement by all Suffolk Waste Collection Authorities and the Waste Disposal Authority
June 2010 - Preferred bidder for long-term solution (incinerator) to be appointed
September 2011 - Planning application for incinerator to be submitted by the preferred bidder
December 2014 - Incinerator to be in place
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