Shrewsbury incinerator protesters boosted by decision

Campaigners fighting plans to build a £60 million incinerator in Shrewsbury today said they had been boosted by news that Veolia had lost an appeal for another burner in the UK.

Officials from Shrewsbury Friends of the Earth said they were "delighted" that the firm's planning appeal for a proposed incinerator in Nottinghamshire had been thrown out on appeal.

Dave Green, from the campaign group, said the decision had given them great hope ahead of Veolia's appeal to reject planning permission for its energy from waste facility earmarked for Battlefield.

The company's plans were unanimously thrown out by Shropshire Council's strategic planning committee last year but Veolia has appealed and the case will be heard this September at the Shirehall.

A public inquiry into whether Veolia should be allowed to build its plant at an old colliery site in Rainworth, Nottinghamshire, was held in October.

A report published on Friday by planning inspector Rupert Grantham recommended planning permission be turned down for the incinerator, which would have burned rubbish to generate energy.

The report raised concerns about the impact on local bird life and said not enough effort had been made to look at alternative sites.