TAKING a stand against plans for a new gasification plant in Westbury, MP Andrew Murrison has voiced his objections in a letter to Wiltshire Council, a movement which has been welcomed by local campaigners.

After a newly revised planning application was submitted by Hills Waste last month for a gasification plant on the Northacre Site, protest groups have been urging members of the public to express their concerns.

Joining the campaign, Mr Murrison has said that precautions must be taken due to the site being situated in a highly populated area of the town.

He said: “I have done some work on the evidence published so far and agree that, from what’s been reported, the risks to health from emissions in plants like this do seem to be low.

“However, the precautionary principle should apply to applications like this that involve sites close to where people live.Where there’s doubt, incinerators, pyrolysis and gasification plants should be located as far from human habitation as possible, not right on top of it.

“It’s also important to point out that most of the waste if the proposed plant becomes fully operational would travel long distances to get to Westbury. The town has no bypass which means more heavy traffic along the A350 right through the middle of Westbury where, in places, air quality is already poor.

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Maggy Daniell, campaigning against the plant, said: “We are very grateful to Andrew for expressing his views, and it carries extra weight because of his medical background.

“His response was very sensible, saying if you don’t know the dangers then don’t do it.”

A decision is expected to be made by Wiltshire Council by the end of July.