Left fuming as waste burner OK’D

Outrage over £240m plant

STORMONT officials have come under fire for giving the green light to a £240million waste plant just two years after an environment minister turned it down.

Mark H Durkan refused permission for the facility at Hightown Quarry in Mallusk, Co Antrim, over concerns it would “discourage recycling”.

More than 4,000 people had objected to the application from arc21 – an umbrella waste management group for six councils.

South Antrim Ulster Unionist MLA Steve Aiken slammed the Department of Infrastructure for approving the project, dubbing it “RHI Mk2”.

He said: “This decision was for an elected politician to take, not an unelected, unaccountable civil servant. It is outrageous.

“The arc21 incinerator remains a fundamentally flawed proposal that will end up costing jobs and costing ratepayers.

“After the Renewable Heat Incentive, this may well prove one of Northern Ireland’s costliest mistakes.”

Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly branded the decision a “disgrace” and has serious environmental, health and safety issues for the area.

He said: “Residents and all the elected representatives in the area were united in their opposition.”

Friends of the Earth director

James Orr added: “This is bad for our climate but will also be a major toxic hazard to the air quality.”

The proposed development includes an incinerator, fuel bale storage building as well as equipment to derive energy from waste. A DOI spokesman said permission was granted because of the ”strategic need for the facility”.

He added the decision was made in line with recommendations from the Planning Appeals Commission.

The spokesman said the Commission concluded “it had not been demonstrated the proposal would result in harm to human health”.