The “Waste Core Strategy” has been revised after consultation and on 10th December was approved by the County Council for submission to the Government.  This strategy gives the policies by which planning applications for waste processing facilities will be judged and the possible sites for large “strategic” facilities.

Waste quantities are dropping and have saved the County about £1.8million this year and Eastern Region waste estimates are being revised downwards.  This should cut the number of waste processing facilities Suffolk needs, particularly when the number of smaller sites that are likely to be built is taken into account.

The County now believes it needs four not five strategic sites and we are heading towards two being sufficient.  The chance that Gipping Valley will be faced with two large waste treatment sites in Gt Blakenham and a third at Sproughton is reducing.  

I will continue to emphasise this reduced need as we move through the final stages of the plan process.  My belief remains that Suffolk’s waste would be better handled nearer to source by smaller more environmentally friendly anerobic digestion plants.  However the administration is firmly fixed on an Incinerator (Energr from Waste Plant).  Smaller plants that would lend themselves to combined heating and power (CHP) would be less difficult to finance quicker to build and less dominating in our environment.

Suffolk is now at the “Final Consultation” stage of its “Waste Core Strategy”.  You can make your views known at the County www site.  The strategy identifies sites for waste processing facilities and additional landfill capacity.  Our main problems are that it seeks to allocate two sites in Gt Blakenham, one for the proposed County Council Incinerator at the Highways Depot and the other for commercial use at Mason’s Quarry.  Two sites in the area appear too much even if you accept incineration as an appropriate technology.  I do not.

A public fact finding session has been arrange for our area by Suffolk County Council at Gt. Blakenham Village Hall in the form of a drop in session on Tuesday 8th September between the hours of 15.00 hrs and 20.00 hours.  Please attend, hear what is intended and make your views heard.

Suffolk Liberal democrats are opposed to Incineration as a means of waste treatment at Gt Blakenham or anywhere else.  We have set up a petition at http://suffolkcclibdems.org.uk where you can record your view and ensure we have evidence of local opinion to use in our campaign to get the County Conservatives to change their mind.