Opponents of plans to site a giant waste incinerator in Belvedere have gathered again in a Bexleyheath hotel to try and stop the project from going ahead. This time they have just three weeks to make their case ...

PEOPLE have another chance to stop a huge rubbish incinerator from being built in Belvedere.

The Department of Trade and Industry ordered the public inquiry into the project to be re-opened even though the inquiry inspector Keith Smith had already said the project should go ahead.

But his approval, subject to confirmation by Trade and Industry Secretary Alan Johnson, flies in the face of several strategic plans, published since the inquiry closed in 2003.

Now the reopened inquiry will decide whether Mr Smith's recommendation should stand or whether it should be revised.

The inquiry will only consider whether the proposed 585,000 tonne incinerator meets Government and other policies on waste, including the London Plan and air concerns about the safety of Norman Road and river transport and potential conflict with the Crossrail construction work.

In the first four days of the inquiry, evidence has been given on behalf of Riverside Resource Recovery Limited by Dr David Davies, John Rhodes and John Bolden and by Roger Miles for Bexley Council.

Dr Davies, a recycling consultant, accepted more rubbish was being recycled and composted.

But he said more up-to-date figures now showed London boroughs in general were failing to meet their recycling targets which left large amounts of residual rubbish which still had to be disposed of.

He said the RRRL project was the only one in London currently capable of plugging the gap.

Planning expert Mr Rhodes said the London Plan did not make a presumption against incineration and claimed the proximity principle conformed to the plan's emphasis on using the most appropriate facility for dealing with rubbish.

John Bolden, director of planning for Cory Environmental a partner in the project, said he did not see any change in circumstances since the inquiry closed in October 2003 except the need for the incinerator had become more urgent.

He said: "It is therefore imperative a decision is made at the earliest opportunity."

For Bexley Council, environmental consultant Roger Miles disagreed, saying circumstances had changed to such a degree that west London, where the bulk of the rubbish for the incinerator would come from, was now capable with managing its own waste.

Sides outline their cases

BOTH sides outlined the broad sweep of their cases in opening statements to the inquiry. For Bexley Council, Neil King QC, opposing the incinerator, said since 2003, recycling and composting had overtaken energy recovery as preferred ways of dealing with rubbish.

He pointed out new Government policy emphasised the need to deal with rubbish locally and so does the mayor of London's London Plan.

Mr King claimed Mayor Ken Livingstone's policy was that mass burn incineration in London should be avoided in London where possible.

He said allowing the incinerator to go ahead would crowd out recycling and composting because the rubbish would be needed to feed the incinerator.

Mr King added it would be impossible for the incinerator to be built if construction work for Crossrail was going on at the same time.

The spoil from the Crossrail tunnel will be carried by lorry to the river, using Norman Road where the incinerator will be built and using the same existing jetty.

Mr King also said Bexley remained unhappy with the conditions in Norman Road.

Backing the project, Richard Phillips QC claimed RRRL's incinerator met both Government and London's policies.

He said the London Plan provided for each case to be treated on its merits and the need for the Belvedere incinerator was neither growing nor diminishing.

Mr Phillips also challenged the suggestion the incinerator and Crossrail could not both go-ahead at the same time without any substantial road or river problems.

Geoffrey Stephenson said London's mayor considered changes in statutory policies had now tipped the balance in favour of rejecting the project and that it did not meet the proximity and self sufficiency principles.

Speak up to be heard

CAMPAIGNERS against the incinerator are anxious as many people as possible speak at the re-opened inquiry to voice their opposition.

The inspector has said he will hold an evening session if there is enough demand for one.

People can contact the inquiry to ask for an evening session by calling the programme officer Diane Walker on 020 8306 1246 or by sending an email to manager@public-inquiry.co.uk The inquiry is being held in the Applegarth Suite at the Marriott Hotel, Bexleyheath Broadway, from 10am on Tuesday to Friday and the public are welcome to attend.