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Incinerator ‘could damage Shrewsbury’s economic recovery’
Friday 30th September 2011, 3:00PM BST.
Shrewsbury’s ability to recover from the effects of the recession could be damaged by the creation of a new £60 million incinerator in the town, a planning inquiry heard.
Helen Ball, Shrewsbury Town Council clerk, told an inquiry into proposals by waste firm Veolia to build the facility at Battlefield Enterprise Park that one of the authority’s objections to the scheme was based on its potential effects on tourism.
She read a prepared statement to the inquiry yesterday and said that the planned facility, which would be 28m (92ft) tall with a 65m (213ft) chimney, would be a ‘large eyesore’ affecting the town’s ability to attract tourism.
“The town council strongly contends that not only would the proposal affect the public’s perception locally, but also those of the visitors and tourists to the town as a gateway to Shrewsbury,” she said.
“Tourism is a major industry for the town of Shrewsbury due to its history, wealth of historic buildings and its settings.
“While employment and industry are also important to the town’s economy, the facility, due to its size, would be seen as a large eyesore on a number of the major approach gateways into the town,” the statement said.
“The visual prominence of the facility would serve as a constant reminder of the negative perceptions of the appeal development.”
Veolia claim that the proposed burner could generate enough power to supply 10,000 homes.
l Risk – See Page 13
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Never mind the tourists, what about the local population, why should we suffer looking at the hideous chimney. Also what about the health risks from the polution being spewed into the atmosphere. I thought we all supposed to be trying to save the environment, strikes me that Veolia are trying to make a fast buck while they can
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That argument is known in the trade as “clutching at straws”. It’s as tenuous as the suggestion that the concrete slinky attracts tourists.
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