The petition, signed by over 1,000 people and reaching several metres in length was presented to Monmouthshire County Council leader Peter Fox last Thursday (24th October). It calls on local planners to reject an application to open a waste incinerator in the Usk Valley.
The Stop Waste Incineration Protect the Environment (SWIPE) demonstration was organised by Llanarth Fawr Community Councillor Lindsey Williams.
She said: "Our objection, all 60 pages of it, highlights in so many ways why this plan is wrong for the Usk Valley, wrong for Monmouthshire, wrong for the world at a time of climate change emergency. The council’s own climate strategy is at odds with planning applications like this."
SWIPE say that under the scheme, thousands of tonnes of waste wood and ’refuse derived fuel’ would be trucked in and burned. Emissions from the plant, in terms of CO2 emissions and air quality are a massive concern for local residents.
SWIPE have also said that the information provided by the applicant is woefully inadequate and heavily reliant on unsubstantiated claims that the plant has already been operating at proposed levels since 2013. Ms Williams added that such claims remain unchallenged by the council’s planners and that the application contravenes numerous Welsh and Monmouthshire planning policies.
Leader of MCC Peter Fox said that he recognises the residents’ concerns and that he’s confident that the process will answer their questions.
The petition was presented to the council leader ahead of last Thursday’s full county council meeting which was also scheduled to discuss draft plans for how the council can improve its environmental policies including lowering carbon emissions and reducing single-use plastics.
Some of those who live near to the site remarked on how the development on the Usk valley farm has grown over time, from what was once an unremarkable chicken shed to something more resembling an industrial estate. One nearby resident protesting the application said that they’d be much happier if the farm was looking to put up wind turbines or solar panels as that would not endanger the air quality for them and their family.
The potential increase in traffic, specifically an increase in the number of HGVs delivering resources to the plant was also a widespread concern among demonstrators.