THE leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council has written to the Secretary of State urging him to reject the controversial expansion of the Lostock Incinerator.

The Lostock Sustainable Energy Plant (LSEP) was given planning permission by the Government in 2012 and even though it is still under constriction, bosses have applied for permission to increase the amount of waste burned from 600,000 to 728,000 tonnes.

If the government gives the green light, there would be a daily increase in HGV movements from 262 to 434 and a change in weekday waste delivery hours.

At a meeting of Full Council in October, members backed a motion to write to the Secretary of State to oppose the plans.

Council leader Louise Gittins has now written to Kwasi Kwarteng MP, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, outlining the authority's concerns.

These include:

  • The claim that the burning of plastic produces more CO2 per kWhr than any other fuel.
  • That other, more sustainable, technologies for waste processing are becoming available.
  • That the LSEP facility plays no part in the council’s own waste processing plans.
  • That the road network into and out of the Lostock site cannot cope with the planned extra traffic.
  • In her letter, Cllr Gittins said: “We recognise that final approval for this facility comes directly from central government and not from local councils, so feel we must highlight to you our strength of feeling.

“We feel this application to you should be refused taking into account the huge impact this facility already has and continues to have on our local residents.”

A spokesman for LSEP Ltd said the scheme was supporting the government’s levelling up agenda.

He added: “Our proposal to vary our planning consent will mean that the LSEP can divert an additional 128,000 tonnes of waste a year from landfill, which has significant environmental and climate change benefits.

"The construction of LSEP is underway and our new application will not change the currently approved buildings or the limits set on our emissions.

“As part of the variation application all potential environmental impacts, including transport and air quality, were fully assessed.”