Incinerator set to go ahead after court decision

Campaigners had taken the case to the Court of Appeal after losing a High Court decision in March

A planned waste incinerator near Dorset's Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site is set to go ahead following a Court of Appeal decision.

The application for the facility at Portland Port was given the go-ahead by the government in September 2024, despite initially being refused by Dorset Council.

The court rejected a legal challenge by the Stop Portland Waste Incinerator (SPWI) group following a hearing last month. Opponents had argued the incinerator would cause air pollution and damage the local tourism industry.

Developer Powerfuel Portland Ltd welcomed the verdict, saying the project would bring a "long-term boost to the local economy".

The proposed incinerator at Portland Port would be built on land owned by Portland Port

The incinerator is expected to be able to process up to 202,000 tonnes of household, commercial and skip waste a year, creating enough energy to power about 30,000 homes.

The site is owned by Portland Port, which previously said the plant was "vital to this port's future" by allowing it to offer shore power to docked cruise ships.

SPWI applied for permission for a Court of Appeal hearing after the High Court failed to grant a statutory review of the decision in April.

Three Court of Appeal judges unanimously agreed to dismiss an appeal, ruling that the Secretary of State had provided adequate explanation for the decision.

In a statement, Powerfuel Portland director Giles Frampton said the latest judgement "clears the way" for the £180m investment to go ahead.

"That will allow Dorset to manage its non-recyclable residual waste in-county, in line with national waste and climate policy requirements.

"The project will also create significant local employment opportunities during both the construction and operational phases, delivering a long-term boost to the local economy."

Critics of the scheme included Olympic kitesurfing champion Ellie Aldridge, who previously said "no-one will want to train" at the nearby National Sailing Academy if an incinerator was built.

Dorset Council leader Nick Ireland also previously said the incinerator would be "throwing out nitrous dioxide, sulphur dioxide, arsenic, nickel, chromium" and harm the area's tourism industry.