Friday 29 March 2013

CARDIFF INCINERATOR FIGHT GOES TO HIGH COURT


CARDIFF INCINERATOR FIGHT GOES TO HIGH COURT

Cardiff campaigners against a giant incinerator at Trident Park, between Splott and Cardiff Bay, have renewed their fight at the High Court.
  Acting on behalf of local residents, environmental law firm Buxton's of Cambridge have submitted fresh applications to stop building work on the site by multinational corporation Viridor.
  In particular, Cardiff Against the Incinerator (CATI) campaigners want a High Court judge to quash the recent decision by Cardiff Council not to enforce planning consent conditions after six months of unlawful work on the site. Their original submission has been reformulated in the light of recent council decisions.
  CATI chair Robert Griffiths today accused the Cardiff Council of undermining the law by allowing building work to proceed without the necessary permits and permissions.
  'The whole planning permission process has been an undemocratic shambles. The wishes of local people and businesses have been ignored and councillors have tied themselves in knots as officials have tried to steamroller Viridor's scheme through the council', he declared.
  CATI have already secured agreement from the High Court for a swift judgement on its application to halt building work and enforce planning conditions on the company.
  But now campaigners have to raise £3,000 towards the costs of the court challenge. 
  'We are confident that local residents and businesses will respond generously to our appeal, knowing that an incinerator presents major health, safety and environmental hazards', Mr Griffiths insisted.
  He dismissed recent claims by Viridor and Cardiff Council that the scheme could bring extensive and cheap piped hot water to the city as 'a pipe dream full of hot air', pointing out that similar pledges have rarely materialised in relation to other incinerators across Britain.

END

1]  The request to the Cardiff High Court lodged on 26th  March is for the following:
a)      An order quashing the grant of subsequent applications approval dated 25 February 2013;
b)      A declaration that the decision of the Council to treat the subsequent applications approval as retroactively permitting the unlawful works and rendering enforcement action inexpedient was unlawful;
c)      An order requiring the Council to reconsider enforcement action against the unlawful works;
d)    An order directing the Council to issue an enforcement notice and/or stop notice prohibiting further continuation of unlawful development;
 [2] 25-year contract for £600million between the 5 Local Authorities, of which Cardiff will pay ~£250 million.  The Council voted through the Labour Cabinet recommendation, without referring it to the Scrutiny Committee and with Labour and Tory groups supporting it en bloc.
 [3] Entirely unsuitable for the Splott and Cardiff Bay site on grounds of lorry traffic, flood risk, hazard to health and processing  hazardous ash. It's also unsuitable for use of the huge quanities of waste heat, because the claims for a city-wide pipe network are unviable fantasy, not part of a full district heating scheme meeting the big seasonal variations in demand.
Appeal for our Community Legal Action fund 
Please contribute to our £3,000 legal action fund. You can do this by:
Making a donation by cash or cheque (made payable to 'CATI') and sending it to CATI, 58 Janet St., Splott, Cardiff CF24 2BE.
Donation to an accredited CATI representative (who will have proper ID).
Phoning David Prosser on 029 20791993 (h), 07504 323422 (m) or emailing us at cardiffagainsttheincinerator@gmail.com  to arrange a visit.
Paying online into our account (The Cooperative Bank, Sort Code 08-92-99 Account No. 65423583) or at the Bank in High Street, central Cardiff.
Paying online via PayPal at www.ukwin.org.uk (add “for CATI/Cardiff” in the comment box on second page, called 'Review Donation').

Notes to editors:

[1] The applications to the High Court have been submitted by Richard Buxton and Partners on behalf of local resident Pauline Ellaway.
[2] The case will be heard in Cardiff and a judgement is expected within the next six weeks.
[3] The applications are to quash as unlawful the decisions of Cardiff Council on February 13 and 25, 2013, retroactively permitting unlawful work and declaring enforcement of planning consent conditions 'inexpedient'; and to issue a court order requiring the council to reconsider its actions and whether to an enforcement and/or stop notice in relation to unlawful development at Trident Park.
[4] Robert Griffiths can be contacted on 07790 8841337 (m) and Pauline Ellaway on 07837 346114 (m)  029 20318519  (h)  


High Court challenge lodged to stop work on Splott incinerator site

Read more: Wales Online http://www.walesonline.co.uk/cardiffonline/cardiff-news/2013/03/29/high-court-challenge-lodged-to-stop-work-on-splott-incinerator-site-91466-33080967/#ixzz2OwICSbR8

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