At a planning committee meeting on Tuesday October 30th, North Yorkshire County Councillors voted 9-2 in favour of granting planning permission for the Allerton Park waste incinerator.
Campaigners protest outside the planning meeting
Activists from YRAIN, NYWAG and other environmental and community groups from across North Yorkshire protested outside the meeting, filmed and recorded by local and regional media.
At the start of the meeting, Councillors and activists from both campaign groups as well as the surrounding Parish Councils made their objections (within a strict three-minute time window for members of the public), for about an hour. Then the applicants made their case (with no time limit on each speaker, since you ask). There then followed an epic presentation by the case officer, from her thumping 386-page report, which lasted over three hours.
The debate was then over in less than one hour. Despite the protestations of one Councillor that they were genuinely open-minded on the matter, the vote split along party lines with the 9-2 result exactly as we had been expecting.
If you are so inclined, you can re-live the entire meeting via YouTube – a commendable move for open democracy from North Yorkshire County Council:
- Part 1: Speakers for and against (2 hours 4 mins)
- Part 2: Some matters arising from the speakers, then the Planning Officer’s Presentation (3 hrs 15 mins)
- Part 3: Conclusion of the presentation, debate and vote (44 minutes)
As the officer’s report made clear (page 324), this application is significant enough that it will need to be considered by the Secretary of State, so it’s up to Eric Pickles to make the final decision. We believe it is absolutely vital that this plan is called in for a public inquiry – not least since the Council is effectively funding this planning application. Only a public inquiry could look afresh at the evidence of need and cost. Please help us to get this public inquiry by writing to Eric Pickles.
Some of the press coverage of the meeting and the protest:
