Residents at a public meeting have voiced their concerns over controversial plans to site two waste incinerators near their community.
About 40 local residents and council officials attended last night's meeting, at Richmond Hill Primary School, which was set up by the No2Incinerator group. Residents said that they were concerned over the impact on health, pollution and the way information has been relayed to them by Leeds Council.
The council has shortlisted two bidders vying to build and operate an energy-from-waste plant – an incinerator able to generate electricity.
The companies still in the running are Aire Valley Environmental, which wants to build the plant near Knostrop wastewater treatment works, and Veolia ES Aurora, with a preferred site of the former wholesale market in Pontefract Lane, Cross Green.
Campaigners are also concerned about proposals for another waste incinerator at nearby Skelton Grange by Biffa.
'Hold counclllors to account'
Meeting chairperson, Sarah Covell, vowed to fight the proposals and called on the meeting to hold their local councillors to account. She said:
"The number of people here tonight shows the depth of feeling against these proposals. We are taking on international companies with millions of pounds at their disposal, our campaign's total cash currently stands at £5 as we've spent £55 on printing leaflets and fliers for tonight's meeting.
"But I still think we can win if we're persistent, strong and resilient. A community is sometimes born from a struggle."
Residents raised a whole raft of concerns at the meeting, including the effect on house prices in the area. One man said:
"We want what works for us as a community - we're not bothered about what might or might not be cost-effective for the council. These proposals stink. I go onto some streets around here and they look like the 1960s. What's going on? Why are we so neglected?"
Opposed to incinerators
Leader of Leeds Green Party, Farnley and Wortley councillor Ann Blackburn, told the meeting that her party was opposed to incinerators in general and would not support the proposals. She said she favoured anaerobic digestion as a waste disposal method.
Susan Upton, head of waste management at Leeds council, told the meeting that the council would not promote a project that would have a detrimental impact on the health of a local community and that a full environmental impact assessment wold be carried out. She added:
"The council had no preferred technology when this process started. The two proposals we are considering now are the best put forward and the preferred bidder will have to meet comprehensive evaluation criteria which deals with technology, social concerns and emissions."
The council teams brought with them the latest research on waste incineration for residents to consider.
