Permit issued for Battlefield waste incinerator plan

Controversial plans for a £60 million incinerator proposed for the outskirts of Shrewsbury today moved a step closer to becoming a reality after environmental bosses issued it with a permit.

The Environment Agency said it had agreed to issue an environmental permit for an energy-from-waste facility at Battlefield in Shrewsbury.

Last year Veolia Environmental Services Shropshire Limited submitted plans, which has sparked strong objections from some residents and campaign groups.

Veolia claims it could generate enough power to supply 10,000 homes and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill to just five per cent.

The permit, which has been issued under the Environmental Permitting (England & Wales) Regulations 2010, will require the company to comply with all relevant legislation including strict air emission and monitoring standards.

Although the permit has been issued, following consultation, it will still need planning permission from Shropshire Council before it can be built.

And the agency said it would also closely monitor the facility once it is up and running if plans for it are approved.

Dafydd Evans, area manager at the agency, said: "We have carefully considered all the responses made during consultation and have issued this permit because we are satisfied it contains the necessary conditions and control measures to ensure protection of human health and the environment."

"Issuing the permit is only the first stage in our regulation of the facility."