Incinerator decision may not be made until autumn (From Bucks Free Press)

Incinerator decision may not be made until autumn

11:52am Wednesday 15th February 2012 in Amersham By Andy Carswell

A DECISION on controversial plans to build an incinerator in Bucks may not now be made until the autumn.

The scheme, for an incinerator which would produce energy by burning rubbish, was deferred after discussions by Buckinghamshire County Council's planning committee yesterday came to a deadlock.

Councillors agreed to defer making a decision on the proposals until they had received an important report from the Planning Inspector on the authority's waste strategy - which is expected to arrive in the autumn.

Before then the authority's strategy will face a public examination, which starts next week.

It formally opens at the Green Park Training and Conference Centre in Aston Clinton at 10am on Tuesday February 21. Sessions will than take place from 9.30am-2pm from Wednesday 22-Friday 24 and again from Tuesday February 28-Friday March 2.

The incinerator, which would be built at a site at Greatmoor Farm in Calvert in the north of the county, has come under fierce criticism from campaigners and residents.

Many of them were present at yesterday's planning meeting to put forward their concerns, with the council moving from its regular base at County Hall to allow extra space for them.

The committee also waived its normal committee procedure, which gives a maximum presentation time of four minutes per person or organisation.

Chairman David Polhill said: "We allowed for all those interested and concerned to be represented for a longer time than usual because of the magnitude of the case."

Previous plans for the incinerator to be built at Wapseys Wood near Beaconsfield were turned down in 2008.

For more details on the waste strategy scheme, go to www.buckscc.gov.uk/bcc/waste_mineral_plans/mwcs_examination.page.