A CONTROVERSIAL waste processing plant was given planning permission by the Government after a local council refused to let it go ahead.
A planning inspector today overturned Liverpool City Council’s decision to block plans for the Garston plant.
Jack Allen Holdings can now start building its £35m centre, which will be able to “bake” 150,000 tonnes of rubbish a year.
Planning inspector Elizabeth Ord refused to accept that the plant will hamper the regeneration of Garston, which had been claimed by local activists rallying against the plans.
They said its location just metres from new housing estates would put off potential future home buyers and choke off the area’s recovery.
But in a decision published yesterday Ms Ord said: “The council’s objection is not that the [plant] would create environmental or amenity problems, but that investors, including the house builders, and also people thinking of moving into the area to live, might be discouraged by the perception of a waste treatment plant close by.
“However, upon close examination, there appears to be limited evidence to support these concerns.
“In fact, on my site visit, there was evidence of considerable ongoing building activity in proximity to the site, and many newly built homes appeared to have been sold or were reserved. This is not indicative of a particularly depressed housing market.
“Whilst I acknowledge the strength of feeling amongst local residents and other interested parties, I take the view that there is no reasonable basis for these fears. They are founded on misconceptions of the proposal’s effects and are not supported by a robust evidence base.”
Ms Ord added that the site, which will create 41 permanent jobs and others during construction, should contribute to regeneration.
Jack Allen’s Peter Coe said: “We are pleased with the outcome of the appeal. The inspector has taken time and given careful consideration to all the evidence presented including the very passionate concerns of some local residents.
“We have always maintained that our facility can operate on this site without any nuisance to local residents or any adverse impact on regeneration, and the inspector has supported that view.
“Moving forward we will carry on talking to and working with local people and organisations.
“We want to contribute to the long-term regeneration of Garston by creating jobs and building a cutting edge recycling facility that will deliver a very considerable environmental benefit to the city of Liverpool.” Jack Allen took Liverpool City Council to a public inquiry in June after having its planning application rejected.
It was the firm’s second bid to build on the site. A planning application for a much bigger 300,000-tonne site was first lodged in 2007. But local residents piled enough pressure on the firm to force it to withdraw the plans.
Responding to the appeal decision, Cressington councillor Paula Keaveney said: “We really had hoped the fact that there were thousands of objections and we had some forceful arguments at the inquiry that they would stop the application.”
