Incinerator rejected due to health and noise fears
Plans for an incinerator have been refused after it was claimed the noise generated by the facility would pose a public health risk.
The incinerator had been proposed for land on the Burnt Mills Industrial Estate in Basildon, Essex.
Archers Field Energy Recovery Ltd said it would have burnt enough waste to generate power for 20,000 homes if built.
However, Essex County Council's planning committee heard it would have had a severe impact on the physical and mental health of locals.
The applicant's hopes of finding a new way to get the project approved down the line have already been dashed by the government, which has temporarily halted issuing permits for new incinerator plants.
Non-hazardous waste from businesses in Basildon is already taken to a recycling centre on the industrial estate.
Conservative councillor Jeff Henry said people had been concerned about an incinerator being added to the mix.
Fellow Tory Susan Barker said the site would have impacted residents' mental health as it operated 24 hours a day.
"It will drive people bonkers," she added.
The plans were refused on the grounds of industrialisation, an unsuitable location, mental and physical public health concerns and impact on biodiversity.
The decision was expected to be appealed, the committee heard.
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