Update: Hatfield incinerator site 'A done deal'
A LEADING campaigner opposed to the construction of an incinerator next to a special school has blasted plans to carry out an environmental survey at the site. Herts County Council has announced it is undertaking an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) a
A LEADING campaigner opposed to the construction of an incinerator next to a special school has blasted plans to carry out an environmental survey at the site.
Herts County Council has announced it is undertaking an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) at New Barnfield in Travellers Lane, Hatfield.
The council-owned land, next to Southfield School, has been described as the reference site for an incinerator, which is needed to reduce the county's landfill.
But Welwyn Hatfield Lib Dem parliamentary candidate Paul Zukowskyj said the "significant" amount of money required to carry out a site-specific EIA gives a "clear signal" that New Barnfield has been chosen.
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"No one in their right minds would commission an EIA where they didn't need to," he said.
"It's clear they have made their minds up that the plant will be built at New Barnfield."
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He added: "It's unbelievable they think it OK to ignore their own consultants' report and plan to drive 42-tonne lorries right past the front door of a special needs school."
County councillor Derrick Ashley, executive member for planning, external relations and waste, replied: "We have said all along that New Barnfield is our reference site.
"Nothing will be confirmed until the end of the procurement [of a waste management contractor] process."
Current planning guidelines required an EIA to be undertaken for any kind of development and, when asked about the cost of the survey, he added: "This won't be money that is not well spent because if Welwyn Hatfield [council] decides it wants to develop the site for housing, the survey will be helpful.
