Incinerator future in doubt as investors pull out

The future of a controversial waste wood incinerator looks in doubt after an investment company pulled out of the site.

Aviva Investors said the decision had been made because of significant cost and technology-related challenges at the Barry Biomass plant in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Campaigners have fought for years for the wood incinerator in Barry Docks to be shut due to pollution fears.

The plant's developers, Barry Biomass, and the Welsh government have been asked for comment.

Vale of Glamorgan council said it was seeking urgent clarification from Aviva for its plans for the site.

The privately-run venture, which was backed by Aviva Investors, was given the go-ahead in 2018, despite protests and petitions over pollution fears.

But since then, it has been at the centre of a long-running planning row, remaining idle while waiting for the go-ahead to start operating.

In 2021, it faced an order to shut down.

In a statement, Aviva Investors said it had "made the decision to divest from the assets" in Barry, plus English sites at Hull and Boston.

A spokesperson for Aviva Investors said: "Since the original investment, it has become apparent that the gasification technologies at these plants have significant challenges in their current form.

"The assets have therefore not performed as we expected."

Following an independent review earlier this year, and informing investors of the situation, the decision was taken to move away from the sites.

The Docks Incinerator Action Group (DIAG) which has opposed the plant, said it was happy with the decision. It said it hoped no other company would take on the project.

Council leader Lis Burnett said the plant had "failed to conform" with its original planning permission.

“Two retrospective planning application were refused in March, decisions that are currently being appealed," she said.

“We will now seek urgent clarification from Aviva regarding those appeals and its plans for the site.”

Barry Biomass has previously described the Barry site as environmentally responsible, safe and with a positive long-term impact on the local community.