Incinerator work to start despite lack of permit

Building work on a controversial new incinerator is set to go ahead despite the company behind it not yet having an environmental permit.

The facility on Berrys Lane, just north of Burghfield, near Reading, was given planning consent by West Berkshire Council in August 2022.

People concerned about the planned waste-to-energy incinerator have been urging the government to intervene.

The developer, J Mould (Reading) Ltd, said the incinerator would help address waste disposal issues in the area and it was "moving forward at pace".

The incinerator, which will be called the Energy Recovery Centre, is expected to operate 24 hours a day for 360 days a year, burning 150,000 tonnes of rubbish annually.

It will be built alongside a new data centre at an existing waste management site in an old quarry.

In a statement, Jay Mould, director of J Mould (Reading), said: "We have major issues in the south of England, with nowhere to dispose of private sector commercial and industrial waste.

"There is also a burgeoning need for artificial intelligence-ready data infrastructure and rising demand for electrical power. The development on our site addresses all three.

"We have taken our time putting the designs together and addressing the planning conditions. We are now moving forward at pace and hope to start construction towards the end of next year."

The company also said it is intending on applying for an environmental permit, which is not required to start construction.

But it made clear the centre "will not be operated" until the permit is issued.

Reading Green party councillor Dave McElroy said there was "nothing to suggest the government was serious about the climate crisis".

He added: "They shouldn't be just burning our waste. That's just giving up on the whole environmental challenge.

"The last government put a pause on issuing new permits recently. Why couldn't the Labour government do that? It's entirely up to them. It's their choice."

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said: "We are committed to cutting waste and moving to a circular economy so that we reuse, reduce and recycle more resources and help meet our emissions targets."

Olivia Bailey, MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire, said she shared the concerns of residents about the incinerator.

She said: "The planning permission has been granted, there were 56 conditions placed with that planning permission.

"More broadly we've got to work really hard to reduce our need for incinerators in this country and the Labour government is currently reviewing our policy on this."

A spokesperson for West Berkshire Council said: "It was concluded that air quality matters were adequately addressed in the application submission and there would be no significant effect on air quality, dust, odour, or other influencers of human health due to the proposed development."

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