Burner fight seeks support
Campaigners against plans for a £5 million biomass burner in a Shropshire town are looking for support to take their fight to the next level — a judicial review. Campaigners against plans for a £5 million biomass burner in a Shropshire town are looking for support to take their fight to the next level — a judicial review. The Bishop's Castle Group had said it would consider legal action after the plans were given the go-ahead by the Planning Inspectorate last Friday following a public inquiry. Karen Bavastock, group chairman, said a review could cost up to £100,000. The group is investigating sources of funding and will announce its decision on how to proceed at Bishop's Castle Town Castle meeting. Miss Bavastock said: "We are encouraging everyone to come to the meeting." The town council meeting will be in Bishop's Castle town hall on September 15 at 8pm.
Campaigners who spent two years fighting plans for a £5 million biomass burner in Shropshire are looking for up to £100,000 to fund a judicial review of the scheme.
The controversial plans for the plant at the Crowgate Industrial Estate in Bishop's Castle were approved by the Planning Inspectorate last Friday.
The inspector's decision came after an eight-day public inquiry in March and April this year.
The Bishop's Castle Group, whose opposition helped bring the inquiry about, was outraged by the decision and at an emergency meeting last night vowed to fight on.
Group chairwoman Karen Bavastock said today: "We decided last night we are going to investigate the costs involved in a judicial review.
"Over the last three days we have had time to study the decision line by line and our members are not only outraged by the content but unanimous in their desire to challenge this decision.
"Obviously a High Court challenge is not to be taken lightly and would require a major fundraising effort but as a first step we are seeking specialist legal opinion and we will be addressing our conclusions to the Bishop's Castle Town Council meeting next Tuesday at 8pm.
"We would urge members of the local community to attend, listen and have their say."
Michael Dawes, vice- chairman of the group, is investigating the legal options open to the campaigners and people will be updated at the council meeting.
The group also said the developers who had applied for planning permission did not have any registered interest in the site.
A spokesman for Shropshire Council said: "No party has an option to purchase this land.
"The only legal requirement for anyone making a planning application is to serve notice of that application on the owners of the land.
"In this instance, the proposed developer served appropriate notice on the former South Shropshire District Council who raised no objections to them making this application."
The developer, Bishop's Castle Biomass Power Limited, has welcomed the planning inspector's decision.
The Planning Inspector's decision document can be accessed via www.bishopscastlegroup.org.uk
By Hannah Costigan
