CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a pyrolysis plant at Cwmgwili in Carmarthenshire go before the planning committee on Thursday (Feb 4).
The development, proposed by RLAND Energy was the subject of a Herald investigation and film in August 2015, which detailed the proposal’s background and interviewed John Simmonds, an expert on renewable energies.
Our investigation uncovered that two of the men linked to the application, Manish Chande and Martin Myers, ran Imry: A property developer that got into such a financial mess, it caused Barclays to write-off the largest bad-debt in its history.
John Simmonds told The Herald: “There is no reason to approve a plant like this based on the premise that this is supposed to be an economically viable process that is going to make them money they have yet to show that this is going to be economically viable let alone the safety implications.”
The differing responses of two community councils whose residents would be affected by the scheme, appear to suggest that communities and councils are divided on the plant’s construction.
Llandybie Community Council are insistent that planning permissions for the plant should be refused. Neighbouring Llannon council’s response is altogether more equivocal, where it can be at all discerned.
Llandybie Council highlights the scale of the development, which it described as ‘unacceptable’, potentially resulting in a significant increase in heavy goods vehicles accessing and egressing the proposed site onto an already dangerous section of the A48 Trunk Road.
In addition, the Council objects to the development on grounds of nuisance, emissions and detriment to the community. It claims the proposed incinerator and the southerly prevailing winds will carry potentially hazardous emissions over a populated area
By way of contrast, Llannon Community Council appear to conditionally support the application for a pyrolysis plant on the bases of information provided to it at presentations given by the proposed plant’s developer and ‘that there will be significant opportunity for community benefits to Llannon Community Council area’.
Llannon Community Council go on to comment: ‘It is requested that a mechanism for securing these benefits including a formal agreement is established prior to the granting of any planning consent.’
The Herald contacted the Chairman of Llannon Community Council, Mr. Phil Williams.
He told us: “We sent a letter to Carmarthenshire County Council after more information about the plant came to our attention. I have been watching what has been going on in the press and I receive emails from the action group. It was a long time ago and it seemed like a good thing.
“We didn’t know what the capacity of the plant would be. We are a consultee, but they don’t always take any notice of what we say now.”
Mr Williams continued: “If we could go back we would probably object. I am not sure we can change our minds now. I understand that officers have decided to refuse planning. It hasn’t been on our agenda but we are aware there is an action group.” Mr Williams suggested that a request for clarification from the local authority did not receive a response: “We were waiting for technical information but we have not had any back. We asked for further clarification on the plans, as we could see that the proposals for the amount of rubbish had increased. We have not received any information as yet from the County Council.
“I oppose the plant on a personal level but I can’t speak for the council until we have had a meeting to discuss any further information.”
A protest has been organised by the A48 Action Group who say that the incinerator was advertised by the company as a solar farm and that it was misleading
The group say that they have conducted research into pyrolysis type waste treatments using municipal waste, which revealed an international picture of environmental problems associated with emissions, leaks and explosions.
The group claim that in many cases very little if any energy is actually produced, leading the companies involved into financial difficulties. With regards to claims that the plant will be green and save energy, the campaigners claim that further research suggests that trying to reclaim energy from waste actually reduces recycling and re-use, so from an environmental perspective is inefficient and wasteful of valuable natural resources.
The group also state that the company have actively promoted this technology as emission free, safe and definitely not an incinerator but that in all legislation and environmental regulation it is classed as an incineration plant.
The A48 Campaign Group has also praised Carmarthenshire County Council’s existing recycling programme and questioned whether the County even requires a pyrolysis plant.
They state, “Carmarthenshire’s record on recycling and re-use of waste is excellent, beating all targets. Their own figures show in 2012/13 they only sent 30,000 tonnes of waste to landfill. This proposal according to the planning application is for 195,000 tonnes per year of non-recyclable waste. However the developer’s website claims a capacity of 350,000 tonnes per year.
“A recent EU report shows that many EU states including the UK has more incineration capacity than waste generated.”
The Herald contacted the County Council and asked whether the Council had received a request for further information from Llannon Community Council and whether it had provided a response.
Hugh Towns, Regional Minerals and Waste Manager told The Herald: “I can confirm that we did have a request from Llannon Community Council for additional information. I attended one of their Council Meetings to outline the application and to answer questions.”
When presented with the information provided to The Herald by the local authority, Cllr Williams said he had not heard from Mr Towns.Development threatens local businesses
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