£60m Shrewsbury incinerator gets the go-ahead

A controversial £60 million incinerator for Shrewsbury was today given the go-ahead. Planning inspector John Woolcock has ruled that Shropshire Council's waste contractor Veolia will be able to build the facility at Battlefield Enterprise Park.

The incinerator will be used to burn waste from across the county. Veolia had appealed against a decision by Shropshire Council which rejected the plan in 2010.

Today Mr Woolcock said: "I allow the appeal and grant planning permission for an energy from waste facility for the combustion of residual municipal and similar wastes."

He approved other parts of the scheme including ancillary buildings and an extension to the existing household recycling centre.

Groups including Shrewsbury Friends of the Earth, the Battlefield 1403 visitor centre and Shropshire Council all opposed the plans during a six-week hearing in the autumn. They cited a range of reasons why it should be refused, including its proximity to the site of the historic Battle of Shrewsbury.

But Mr Woolcock ruled: "I disagree with the council's conclusion that the proposed development would cause substantial harm to the setting of high value heritage assets, and I consider that BF1403 has overstated the likely impact of the appeal scheme on the setting of the registered battlefield and other heritage assets.

"The proposal would result in minor harm to the registered battlefield."

By Chris Burn