Pinkham Way plans 'unaffected' by inspector's decision (From Enfield Independent)

Pinkham Way plans 'unaffected' by inspector's decision

5:43pm Tuesday 18th September 2012 in News By Chris Hewett

The plans for Pinkham Way have attracted huge opposition

Plans to open a huge waste plant on the Barnet and Enfield border will go ahead despite what opponents to the proposals see as serious setbacks over recent months.

The North London Waste Authority (NLWA) wants to open three new waste sites in the capital and says it will press on with its plans, which include the building of a major treatment plant in Pinkham Way, New Southgate, despite a recent planning inspector’s decision.

Members will meet on Monday on the back of the dismissal of the North London Waste Plan, compiled by seven local authorities, including Barnet, Enfield and Haringey, by the Planning Inspectorate.

The NLWA had opted to wait for the outcome of a public inquiry into the feasibility of the 15-year waste plan before applying for planning permission on its own three sites.

But the inspector cancelled the hearing just 90 minutes in after it emerged that none of the seven local authorities had properly consulted other councils in the south east of England that would be affected by the plan,

Campaigners fighting plans for the Pinkham Way plant today called on senior managers of the NLWA to rethink their strategy on Monday in the wake of the inspector’s decision.

Cllr Clyde Loakes, chair of North London Waste Authority, believes the inspector’s decision will have no bearing on the authority’s own plans for the Pinkham Way site.

In a statement, he said: “The recent planning inspector’s decision does not in any way prevent the authority continuing with its proposals for the site.

“The planning application for the site, which the authority made in May 2011, was put on hold to allow the NLWP process to run its course and to avoid the application being considered premature. 

“The local planning authorities in north London will need to consider their timetable for re-working the Plan, but in the meantime it is open for the authority to pursue an application for a waste management use at the site in due course.

“We acknowledge the issues raised by the Pinkham Way Alliance and will communicate directly with them on these. In the meantime we continue with our ongoing procurement process for contracts to provide sustainable, cost-effective solutions for dealing with north London’s waste.”