Barrow councillors voice concern against biomass proposal
Last updated at 15:24, Friday, 22 June 2012
CUMBRIAN politicians have spoken out against plans for a Barrow biomass plant, as opposition to the power station continues to grow.
A petition against plans for the 80MW plant at Roosecote was presented to Cumbria County Council yesterday.
The petition was large enough to spark a debate at the full council meeting, and members of the anti-power station group Furness Oppose Biomass were there in numbers.
The protesters canvassed councillors and were armed with placards with slogans opposing the plans.
Paul Kendall, from FOB, introduced the petition with a speech which asked councillors to back their cause.
He said: “Thousands of your constituents throughout Furness believe this plant will detrimentally affect their lives.
“This petition handed to you today is the biggest petition Barrow has seen.
“The figure is now around 12,000 and is unprecedented. Never before has Furness been so united in opposition to an issue.”
The group received support from several members of the council, from both Barrow and further afield.
Walney representative Councillor David Marcus said the people against the development were not ‘nimbys’ but did not want something that would potentially put their safety at risk.
Councillor Anne Burns, member for Hindpool, said the plant could see people lose jobs if costs of wood were to rise.
She said: “I ask myself – are possibly 25 or 40 jobs, which are proposed at the Biomass plant, really worth the loss of so many other jobs.”
Cllr Bill Wearing, member for Grange, said: “The (Centrica) documents actually say that it doesn’t pose a significant risk to public health. The word significant is very important.
“It does impose a risk and any risk, significant or otherwise, to the population of Barrow is totally unacceptable.”
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Kendall said he was pleased at the level of support the group had gained and hoped that this would help the group convince national body the Planning Inspectorate to refuse permission for the development.
Roosecote Councillor and anti-biomass campaigner Ray Guselli said: “There is no doubt that the petition and statement from Paul Kendall, on behalf of Furness Opposses Biomass, was well received by Cumbria County Council. I would like to thank the many councillors who agreed with our opposition to the proposed biomass plant and for supporting us.”
First published at 13:56, Friday, 22 June 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
Well the people who oppose this on half baked health and safety gone mad ideas want to really wake up and smell the coffee. Man has been burning wood/coal for thousands of years and I dont see us all dropping dead. Now if it was a asbestos plant/ nuclear reprocessing plant I too would be all over this like a rash. However this plant is pumping the same stuff out but in smaller doses than its forebears on the same site. I know that Radon and the 1957 fire at sellafield ( 500 deaths estimated) will far outstrip if any deaths that can be attributable to this plant. There are far more worrying things in this town like exposure to asbestos and toxic chemicals from previous employers, that are and will be the worst causes of death. Let them build the plant, but part of the subsidy should be coming to the good people of Barrow and not may I add the council.
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Stuart
If Centrica were simply replacing the aging gas power station with a new one (hint Morecambe Bay gas comes ashore right next door and doesn't have to travel thousands of miles in diesel fuelled ships and trains) there would be no 'outcry'.As for the jobs red herring. We get it. It takes people to build a power station. There is indeed a knock on effect in local suppliers of whatever ilk BUT after the construction has been finished and the plant is running there will only be fifty or so people required to man it.Surely even you will accept that the only reason this plant is going to be fuelled by wood and not gas is taxpayer subsidy brought into being by the climate alarmists.
I suspect but don't know that this will a very similar number to those employed in the current power station.Seriously doubt that this will get past the EM's gatekeeper as it contains that swear word 'subsidy' but you never know. If you are reading it it did!
Posted by Tony on 29 June 2012 at 16:49