Rainbow Eco Park Proposal - Planning Objections

10.58.00am GMT Sat 31st Jan 2009

The following is a copy of a letter sent to the Wimbledon Guardian on 18 January 2009.

"Many people have been in contact with me asking what is happening with respect to the proposed anaerobic digester in Raynes Park, and I have therefore put together the following information, which I hope you will find useful:

As I understand it the planning application has been put back to some time in the Spring, and objectors should now be putting together a plan of action in preparation for that eventuality. Given that only objections based on planning considerations can be taken into account, I have been through the Council's Unitary Development Plan (the UDP), http://www.merton.gov.uk/council/udp.pdf, and picked out the relevant sections.

To summarise, relevant objections on planning grounds are:

- Potential traffic generation in terms of the number and form of trips;

- Environmental impact of traffic trips in terms of noise and air pollution - which is why I asked our councillors to set up a mobile air quality monitoring unit, so that we know whether levels currently are high or near the limits set by the EU, which must be adhered to;

- Visual impact of the facility ;

- Contribution to employment and regeneration of the locality;

- Compliance with strategic planning guidance regional strategies, regional self-sufficiency and waste disposal plan for the area - South London Waste Authority has yet to put forward its thoughts on suitable sites;

- The Proximity Principle - "treatment undertaken locally. . . which assists in reducing the number and distance of traffic trips. This is also important in terms of the reduction of energy use that transport to and from the facility is minimised and that waste arising from the facility is re-used and recycled on-site as much as possible" - is violated (see 4.154);

- Section 4.165 makes an important point about the desirability of reducing the transmission of energy - I think this is very relevant as the electricity generated by the biogas is not destined for local use but for the national grid - negating the benefits of local production of energy, a major attraction of Combined Heat and Power stations.

To my mind these are strong objections on planning grounds.

I will be taking the petition (on a public meeting with the developers) in to Workspace Glebe on Monday, 26 January 2009 at 12 noon. If you would like to join me please let me know and I will let you have the details. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me if you have any questions."