Press coverage
Hundreds join protest over waste plan
Published Date: 02 July 2008
By Mark Branagan
MORE than 300 protesters turned out yesterday to support a North Yorkshire market town's battle against plans for a waste crushing plant which residents fear will ruin their lives and drive tourists away.
The objectors say the scheme for the Old Station Yard at Milby Lane in Boroughbridge will generate convoys of heavy lorries, bringing dust and water pollution, and should not be considered until the strategic framework on how North Yorkshire County Council deals with such applications is in place.
However, the plans for a commercial and industrial waste transfer station and the recycling of construction waste are due to be considered on July 15 despite calls for a delay.
North Yorkshire County Council's corporate director of business and environmental services, Richard Flinton, has already stated that the overall strategy should not have any bearing on the Milby planning application.
But 320 people turned out yesterday to a demonstration organised by Communities Against Pollution.
Member Pandora Thoresby said: "It is more than expected and a terrific turn out. Feelings are running very high because of the damage it would do to the town."
A big turnout is also expected on July 15 when coaches will be laid on for hundreds of objectors to attend the meeting at County Hall. Developers AV Ogden Holdings Ltd argues that the plant will make a positive contribution to the environment.
However, the plans for a commercial and industrial waste transfer station and the recycling of construction waste are due to be considered on July 15 despite calls for a delay.
North Yorkshire County Council's corporate director of business and environmental services, Richard Flinton, has already stated that the overall strategy should not have any bearing on the Milby planning application.
But 320 people turned out yesterday to a demonstration organised by Communities Against Pollution.
Member Pandora Thoresby said: "It is more than expected and a terrific turn out. Feelings are running very high because of the damage it would do to the town."
A big turnout is also expected on July 15 when coaches will be laid on for hundreds of objectors to attend the meeting at County Hall. Developers AV Ogden Holdings Ltd argues that the plant will make a positive contribution to the environment.
THE battle to prevent a waste processing plant being built in
Boroughbridge saw supporters pack into the Coronation Hall on
Saturday for a fundraising coffee morning.
The event was organised by campaign group Communities Against
Pollution (CAP) and saw 250 people turn up to show their support,
swelling the coffers of the group’s fighting fund by more than
£1,000
Organiser and CAP member Jill Ward said: “The turnout was fantastic, it shows the support in the town. But I’m not surprised because people are starting to become aware of what’s going on because of the protesting. People are now getting concerned.”
Fellow organiser Diane M ilner added: “I spoke to quite a few people who said they didn’t realise what they were going to dump on Boroughbridge – they thought it was just going to be like a skip.
“It’s an horrendous thing. Everybody is 100 per cent against this plan being dumped on Boroughbridge.”
Communities Against Pollution opposes a planning application to North Yorkshire County Council from Ogdens Holdings to build a waste processing plant handling 100,000 tonnes of waste each year in Milby Lane. The potential increase in lorry traffic, noise from the plant and the risk of contamination to the surrounding waterways are some of the reasons the group wants to see the plans scrapped.
Saturday’s event also featured a display of artists impressions and updates on the application and campaign as well as a model showing how the waste site could look, built by Kirby Hill pupils Ruby Webb and Lucy Metcalfe.
Organiser and CAP member Jill Ward said: “The turnout was fantastic, it shows the support in the town. But I’m not surprised because people are starting to become aware of what’s going on because of the protesting. People are now getting concerned.”
Fellow organiser Diane M ilner added: “I spoke to quite a few people who said they didn’t realise what they were going to dump on Boroughbridge – they thought it was just going to be like a skip.
“It’s an horrendous thing. Everybody is 100 per cent against this plan being dumped on Boroughbridge.”
Communities Against Pollution opposes a planning application to North Yorkshire County Council from Ogdens Holdings to build a waste processing plant handling 100,000 tonnes of waste each year in Milby Lane. The potential increase in lorry traffic, noise from the plant and the risk of contamination to the surrounding waterways are some of the reasons the group wants to see the plans scrapped.
Saturday’s event also featured a display of artists impressions and updates on the application and campaign as well as a model showing how the waste site could look, built by Kirby Hill pupils Ruby Webb and Lucy Metcalfe.
Over 1,000 object to waste plan
- Published Date: 25 January 2008
- Source: Ripon Gazette
- Location:
HOW things go quiet following Christmas and the New Year. To date we only have one engagement in our diary for the Mayor and Mayoress and that is not until the middle of February. Sylvia has seized upon the opportunity to find me plenty of jobs around our home; I have just finished decorating the kitchen and she has other projects in mind.
Last Tuesday I, together with many concerned residents,
attended a meeting of Communities Against Pollution (CAP) at the Crown Hotel
for a progress report on the objection to the proposed waste transfer
station at Milby. In just a short time the committee has engaged a solicitor
with an expertise in planning matters to read through the proposals and then
find specific points to which we can base our objections. Although the date
has passed for letters of objection to be received at County Hall, we
understand that over 1,000 have been received.
Taking into consideration that there are about 1,500 houses in
Boroughbridge, Milby, Langthorpe and Kirby Hill, it truly shows the level of
resistance to this proposal. County Coun John Watson spoke about the
procedure that will now be followed by North Yorkshire County Council in
respect of the application. Firstly, the executive of NYCC will further
reduce the number of sites on what is known as the Preferred List; it is
hoped that the Milby site will be deleted at this stage.
John went on to inform us that although he is a member of the executive, he
cannot vote on the matter because he has come out so strongly wi
th his constituents against the proposal.
The executive will meet in Skipton at a date to be confirmed and will be met
by large group of residents showing the executive what we feel about the
proposal.
If we win this round it does not mean that the battle is won; the full
planning application by
There is another open meeting at the Crown Hotel on Tuesday, January 29 at
7.30pm and is open to everyone. Thanks must go to the management of the
Crown Hotel for offering the use of the hotel and its facilities for these
meetings.
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago the CAP needs some funding; now that they
have engaged a solicitor it becomes even more necessary. Please, if you feel
strongly as most people do about this proposal then send a donation to CAP,
Chatsworth House, Horsefair,
Community is united against waste station
- Published Date: 11 January 2008
- Source: Ripon Gazette
- Location:
NOW that the holidays are finally over, life returns to a more normal pace and we have not had an official engagement since New Year’s Eve when we attended the Watchnight service at Ripon Cathedral.
I will say one good thing about A V Ogden’s proposal for the Waste Transfer Station at Milby, it really has united us all at both sides of the river in our total opposition to this scheme. Last Thursday evening I, together with Geoff Craggs, attended a meeting at Coronation Hall to form a committee in order to co-ordinate actions in each of the communities that would be effected should this proposal go ahead.
Our first task was to elect officers of the committee which is headed by solicitor Keith Whitehouse as chairman. This done, we needed to find a name by which we would be known; after various names were suggested we all agreed on CAP – Communities Against Pollution. The fear of everyone is pollution in all its ways, whether it be noise, dust, hazardous material or the volume of heavy traffic going to or from the site.
We then discussed various dates that are important in the fight to prevent this proposal gaining the necessary approval and the actions that we must take. The final date for letters of objection to this proposal is today. I know that many people have written and that NYCC have been surprised as to the number of these letters. Being realistic though, I do not think that these alone will stop the application dead in its tracks, that is why we discussed a rolling programme of actions that could span this year and beyond.
To date, all the posters, placards, printing, etc. have been paid for by individuals who feel so strongly about this proposal. Funds are needed to help CAP continue the fight. None of the parish councils are allowed by law to use council tax payers’ money in such a way, so it is up to the communities as a whole to fund this operation. Donations can be made to CAP, Chatswoth House, Horsefair, Boroughbridge, YO51 9AA.
Coffee morning will raise funds for waste processing plant fight
-
Ripon Gazette
-
Richard Catton
-
08/02/2008
CAMPAIGNERS opposing an industrial waste processing plant in Boroughbridge are holding a coffee morning next week to raise awareness of their plight.
The event, which will be held at the town’s Coronation Hall, is being hosted by Communities Against Pollution (CAP) and will feature information on the proposed plans for the Milby Lane industrial site.
CAP’s Gill Ward: said: "There are two reasons we are doing this – one is to keep the pressure up. Some people seem to think this proposal is about recycling bottles and cans and it isn’t.
"There will be industrial waste meaning noise and lorries through Boroughbridge. We really want people to come and see the information we will have on display.
"The other reason we are holding the coffee morning is to raise cash for our fighting fund.
"We have had to get a solicitor to work for us and we want to put bigger posters up and banner in Boroughbridge.
"We need a big visual impact for visiting councillors coming to the town so they get the message that we don’t want this," she said.
This week the campaign group took delivery of caps and t-shirts which Mrs Ward says the group will now be wearing in an effort to raise awareness.
The group is opposed to a plan by AV Ogden Holdings Ltd to build a commercial and industrial waste transfer station in Milby Lane. The plant would deal with 60,000 tonnes of commercial and industrial waste, such as paper, glass, wood, plastics and metals, and the recycling of 40,000 tonnes of inert waste from construction and demolition sites, including rubble and stone.
CAP say the noise from the plant and the lorries needed to bring the waste to Boroughbridge would have a severely detrimental effect on the town.
The coffee morning will take place at the Coronation Hall in Milby Road between 10am and noon on Saturday February 16.
The next meeting of Communities Against Pollution takes place at the Crown Hotel in Boroughbridge at 7.30pm on Monday February 11.
Fighting fund move as the battle against waste plant intensifies
-
Ripon Gazette
-
Richard Catton
-
25/01/2008
CONTROVERSIAL plans for a waste processing plant in Boroughbridge saw more than 100 people gather in the town’s Crown Hotel for the first meeting of a group opposing the scheme.
Now calling itself Communities Against Pollution (CAP), the group has set up a fighting fund and is employing the services of a Harrogate-based planning expert in a bid to stop the development on the Milby Lane industrial site.
With more than 1,000 letters of opposition against the plans sent to North Yorkshire County Council from the people of Boroughbridge and surrounding villages, the campaigners are now calling for donations to be made to the fighting fund.
CAP’s Diane Milner said: "We need donations from the people for their town and we need to go forward with this campaign because as it gets bigger we are getting into bigger money."
Mrs Milner says the cash is needed to pay for professional advice and to create banners ahead of a visit to the site from county council planning officers.
"We want people lining the streets and the bridge when the council comes to Boroughbridge.
"The people have been very supportive so far but we can’t work without money and this is everybody’s problem."
The campaign group was formed after a planning application was submitted by Ogdens Holdings to build a waste processing plant handling 100,000 tonnes of waste each year at the canal-side industrial site.
Protesters object to the potential increase in lorry traffic, noise from the plant and the risk of contamination to the surrounding waterways.
Following a consultation process, the county council’s planning committee is expected to make a decision on the plan when it meets on either March 11 or April 26.
The next meeting of Communities Against Pollution takes place at 7.30pm in the Crown Hotel, Boroughbridge, on Monday, January 28.
Donations to the campaign can be made at the Boroughbridge branch of Barclay’s Bank in Horsefair.
Fury over industrial waste plans
-
Ripon Gazette
-
Richard Catton
-
21/12/2007
PLANS for a recycling plant handling 100,000 tonnes of industrial waste each year have been greeted with fury by Boroughbridge residents.
One protester claimed "the consequences for Boroughbridge would be catastrophic" as fears grow over the volume of trucks, pollution and noise which would be caused by the plant, proposed for Milby Lane close to the canal.
A meeting on Monday, called by Kirby Hill and District Parish Council, saw hundreds of people pack into the Coronation Hall and unanimously call for the plan to scrapped.
Throughout the week, opposition to the scheme has gathered pace as both Kirby Hill Parish Council and Boroughbridge Town Council voiced strong objections to North Yorkshire County Council.
Spearheading public opposition to the plan with a petition and letter-writing campaign is Diane Milner. She and her husband Rod have spent the past two years converting a barn into a home where they hoped to enjoy their retirement but now face having the plant as a neighbour.
"To put a waste transfer site in this community beggars belief," she said. "Has anyone from the county council actually been to this site and looked at where they want to put this?
"We know we need these sites but for God’s sake put them in the right position."
The site in question is on existing industrial land in Old Station Yard and was earmarked earlier this year by the county council as one of many potential sites in North Yorkshire for a waste plant.
However, the current plan for the site to handle 100,000 tonnes of waste per year, submitted by AV Ogden Holdings Ltd, far exceeds the council’s recommended processing capacity of 20,000 tonnes.
A council spokesman said: "Current planning policies strongly encourage the principle of locating waste management facilities on industrial sites. This site has already been identified for industrial use and therefore meets this requirement.
"The council recognises that a number of specific issues and concerns would need to be addressed if any development for waste management purposes were to go ahead. Impact from traffic movements is a particular issue in this location and would need to be given detailed consideration."
The application was submitted by Ogdens Holdings and is now in a consultation period. A final decision is expected in February.
The agent handling the application on behalf of Ogdens would say only that his client would "consider the comments made by the consultees."