Wisbech incinerator plan approved by government

Protesters opposed to the proposed site said it would cause pollution in the area

The government has approved controversial plans for a waste incinerator in a Fenland town.

MVV Environment wants to build the waste-to-energy incinerator on the Algores Industrial Estate in Wisbech, near the Cambridgeshire-Norfolk border.

Campaigners said it would cause pollution in a built-up area.

However, Claire Coutinho, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, has granted development consent for plans.

Fenland District Council was among those opposed to the incinerator plans.

Dee Laws, its portfolio holder for planning, said: "Today's decision is a huge disappointment to all of us who opposed this development.

"Very sadly, the local voice has not been heard.

"Going forward we will do everything in our power to ensure the negative impact is minimised and to secure what benefits we can for our residents."

The controversial waste incinerator could be built in an industrial part of Wisbech on the Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border

Cambridgeshire County Council - which was also opposed to the plans - expressed its "deep disappointment".

Lorna Dupre, who chairs the authority's environment committee, said: "The minister's decision is a huge disappointment to all of us locally who have opposed the Wisbech incinerator proposals and fought against... proposals for the edge of this historic town.

"Whilst we fundamentally disagree with the government's decision and do not believe it is in the best interests of the people of Wisbech, we recognise the secretary of state's authority on the matter."

Virginia Buckner, who set up the campaign group WisWIN (Wisbech Without Incineration), said she was "so upset" and had been "inundated" with messages since the announcement of the approval.

"It's not just [the] incinerator... hundreds of lorries will be coming into Wisbech daily.

"It makes no business sense - no ecological sense," she added.

MVV Environment said preventing waste going to landfill and burning it would generate energy for local industrial use.

It stated that up to 625,600 tonnes of non-recyclable household, commercial and industrial waste would be burned at the site each year.

This could generate more than 50 million watts of electricity and up to 30 million watts of steam heat, it added.