Corby incinerator meeting shelved at eleventh hour

A discussion on Corby Council’s response to plans for a huge rubbish incinerator to be based on the edge of the town is due to be be postponed.
A protest was planned for tonights meetingA protest was planned for tonights meeting
A protest was planned for tonights meeting

Members of Corby Council’s development control committee had been due to meet tonight (Tuesday, June 11) to discuss the controversial blueprint that would see rubbish from as far away as London, Nottingham, Derby and Birmingham trucked into Corby and burned at the plant in Shelton Road.

It is due to have two huge flues each half the size of Blackpool Tower.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Although the ultimate decision on the plan lies with Northamptonshire County Council as the county’s waste authority, Corby Councillors were expected to talk about their own response to the plans at tonight’s Corby Cube meeting. Officers had recommended that councillors back the plans. But now that discussion looks likely to be postponed to allow more people to have their say.

The incinerator could be built in Shelton RoadThe incinerator could be built in Shelton Road
The incinerator could be built in Shelton Road

The proposal has divided local opinion and campaigners - who have launched petition - had been due to host a peaceful protest outside the Cube tonight, which has now been put on ice.

Protestors contacted Corby Council planning officers this week after realising that the agenda for the meeting was only published on Thursday - which they say didn’t give them enough time to enable them to formulate a response.

Writing on social media this morning, campaigner Lee Forster said: “I e-mailed our MP alongside the leaders of Corby Borough Council, including the chair and vice chair of the Development Committee and have asked them to remove the Shelton Road incinerator application from the agenda of tonight’s Development Committee meeting.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The reason for this is because for some reason unknown to us CBC failed to inform the public that the Shelton Road plans were on the agenda, anyone who has objected or commented on the plans should have received an e-mail informing you of when and where this meeting was being held.

The incinerator will take rubbish from a 100-mile radiusThe incinerator will take rubbish from a 100-mile radius
The incinerator will take rubbish from a 100-mile radius

”This e-mail is also the gateway to registering ourselves to have our chance to speak in front of the committee and to say our piece on the matter.

”As it stands this democratic right of ours has been taken away from us simply because they have failed to follow procedure, so now no one from the public can speak at this public meeting!”

Now Corby Council is expected to tonight defer discussion of the scheme until the next meeting on July 9. The remaining items on the meeting will go ahead as planned.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A Corby Council spokeswoman said: “Corby Borough Council’s Development Control Committee will meet this evening where a planning application with regards to Shelton Road will be discussed. It is the recommendation of Planning officers that the committee defers this application in order to give those who wish to express their view the opportunity to register their interest to speak at the next scheduled meeting.”

Related topics: