Air quality and traffic concerns as plans are tabled for £200 million incinerator in Doncaster

Planning officers are recommending that members of the planning committee approve the plans set on a site off Sandall Stones Road in Kirk Sandall submitted by BH Energy Gap (Doncaster) Ltd.

But the proposal has prompted objections from residents and opposition from Barnby Dun/Kirk Sandall and Edenthorpe parish councils and DMBC ward councillors.

The proposals comprise the construction of an energy recovery facility, involving the thermal treatment of residual waste and the recovery of metals, ash and other residues for recycling, and associated infrastructure including engineering; access, landscape; ground and landscaping works.

The facility would treat commercial and industrial waste which otherwise would go to landfill and ‘produce energy from a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels and primary resources by recovering maximum value from the waste stream’.

Planning bosses say the site would process waste materials and generate electricity for up to 60,000 homes on a 24 hour basis. Waste would only be accepted during daytime hours.

The facility would treat up to 300,000 tonnes per annum of commercial and industrial waste and/or municipal waste with ‘90 per cent being diverted away from landfill sites’.

But residents objecting to the plans say the site would increase the number of HGVs impacting roads and worsening air pollution in the area.

The Environment Agency removed their objection following a further flood risk assessment to the plans.

Edenthorpe and Kirk Sandall councillors Andrea Robinson and David Nevett raised an objection to the application as they consider the proposal is a significant development, the environmental impact upon residents within their ward and surrounding communities ‘will be considerable’.

DMBC planning officer Andrea Suddes, said: “It is allocated as one of the large-scale municipal, commercial and industrial waste management facilities aimed at addressing the capacity needs over the period to 2026 in the Barnsley Doncaster Rotherham Waste Plan and this weighs considerably in favour of the application.

In addition the two previously approved applications on this site are a material consideration, including the currently extant planning consent that is capable of being developed.

The environmental issues associated with the operation of the facility will be controlled by the Environment Agency under the Environmental Permitting Regulations whilst protection of residential amenity for nearby residents from noise and disturbance during the construction period and during operation of the facility will be mitigated and controlled by condition.

“There are no material planning considerations that would significantly or demonstrably outweigh the social, economic or environmental benefits of the proposal in this location.

“The development would not cause undue harm to nearby residents, neighbouring uses, the highway network, rail network or the wider character of the area.”