North Mymms District Green Belt Society Successes

Veolia Admits Defeat – Is this the end?

30th August 2015

WHTimes reporter Alex Lewis called Veolia’s press office and was told they’re not going to appeal the decision, so does this mean we’re finally at the end of the saga?

Click here to read the Welwyn Hatfield Times Article

New Barnfield – Appeal Fails

Is this finally the end of the incinerator?

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government has ruled against the proposal by Veolia and Hertfordshire County Council to build a waste incinerator at New Barnfield.

Click here to read the judgement

Veolia’s only remaining course of action is to apply to get the decision quashed in the High Court, forcing the Secretary of State to re-examine the appeal. However, if it is redetermined, it does not necessarily follow that the original decision will be reversed.

New Barnfield Incinerator

Letter to the Secretary of State

We have sent a letter to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government urging him not to overturn the decision made by his predecessor.

Click here to read it

New Barnfield Incinerator

Court overturns Secretary of States decision

Today (Thursday 22nd Jan) a ruling by the High Court of Justice backed an appeal by energy firm Veolia.

It means Secretary of State Eric Pickles now has to review his decision to throw out the project, which had been backed by Herts County Council.

In a letter to the North Mymms District Green Belt Society, MP Grant Shapps remains relatively positive that this does not signify that the incinerator will be built.

Although on the surface it’s bad news – Veolia have today won their case at the High Court on a technicality – it does not mean that the incinerator now has planning permission.

It’s important to note that Courts do not grant planning permission. All this Court ruling means is that the decision has now been reverted back to Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State at the Department for Communities and Local Government to reconsider it.

I don’t believe there is any reason to think that Mr Pickles should come to a different decision this time around. Reassuringly, if anything green belt protection has hardened since the original decision by the inspector to overturn the original incinerator planning permission.

Needless to say I’ll keep fighting for the right outcome and ensure that this is nothing more than a temporary set back.

Best wishes
Grant.

More details can be found on the Welwyn Hatfield Times website – click here to read

The BBC News website click here to read

New Barnfield – Veolia Appeal

Judge to give decision in new year

Click here for further details

Incinerator – Latest News

15 November 2014

On 25th November 2014 HCC’s Residual Waste Plan will be debated by full Council at 10am at County Hall. This will include any plans for an Incinerator.

Veolia’s Appeal against refusal of Planning Permission for an Incinerator at New Barnfield will be held on 16th and 17th December 2014 at the High Court in the Strand, London.
Members of the public are allowed to attend both these occasions.

The decision on the Redhill case was that the Appeal was dismissed.

New Barnfield Incinerator

23rd September 2014

The Veolia Appeal against the Secretary of State’s refusal of the Planning Application for an Incinerator at New Barnfield is scheduled to be heard on December 16th 2014. Veolia are hoping for a verdict in January 2015. The HCC are not backing the Appeal and do not intend to appear at the Hearing.

The background to this is that the DCLG (Department of Councils and Local Government) have gained leave to appeal the “Redhill” judgment. We understand that this is due to be heard 6th-7th October 2014.

It has been reported that DEFRA were approached by HCC back in April, asking DEFRA to extend the planning longstop date. They finally got a response on 14th August that basically said “No”. Just after the 22nd August 2014 the HCC heard from DEFRA that they had breached the terms of their PFI contract and DEFRA were, therefore, reviewing it to decide whether to terminate it.

Our Barrister’s opinion is that the Veolia appeal centres on the “Redhill” decision. However, this alone does not mean that Veolia have sufficient grounds to change the present position. It would seem that Veolia are appealing to ensure that the contract clause “every possible effort made to achieve planning permission” is not invoked

New Barnfield Incinerator – Veolia’s Legal Challange

The folowing is the text of an email sent to MP’s on 14th August 2014 by John Wood – Chief Executive and Director – Environment. Hertfordshire County Council.

Dear MP’s

We have received confirmation today that Veolia has decided to launch a legal challenge to the Secretary of State’s decision to refuse to grant planning permission for a recycling and energy recovery facility at New Barnfield, Hatfield.

This decision is one which has been made by Veolia. They have indicated to us that they will pay for their legal challenge. The County Council will not be challenging the Secretary of State’s decision.

It is proposed that Hertfordshire County Council’s Cabinet will meet in November to consider the County Council’s next steps. This will include whether to terminate the contract or to ask Veolia to develop alternative plans for diverting Hertfordshire’s waste from landfill.

We appreciate that Veolia’s news will cause concerns in the local area and we remain sensitive to these.

We will continue to update our website at www.hertsdirect.org/waste as the situation develops.

If you would like to discuss this decision with a representative from Veolia, please let me know and we will organise this.

Regards – John

We can only watch and wait at the moment