PROTESTERS lined the steps of County Hall today to make their voices heard against the proposed gasification plant in Westbury.

The application, submitted by Hills, is to create a thermal waste treatment to get rid of waste that cannot be recycled, however residents say it is too close to the community and will create an eyesore for miles around.

Hills has lowered the height of the process buildings and reduced the size of the plant by 376 sq m in two previous applications to get approval from the Wiltshire Council.

Around 40 people from across 10 town and parish council districts travelled to Trowbridge today to voice their concerns ahead of the Strategic Planning Committee that will consider the third submission for approval.

Concerns about emissions and particles are top on the list of worries.

Zoe Mann lives in Westbury and said: “If this goes ahead, we will live about 100m from the plant. There are no controls in place for emissions under 2.5 micrometres so nobody seems to be responsible for monitoring these particles. We don’t know if the filters will stop these from getting out and these are the ones that get into the blood stream. I have a four year old son and if this plant goes ahead his whole childhood could be affected by this. I am worried for my family.”

Margaret Cavanna lives in Dilton Marsh and added: “It’s going to blight the landscape for 20 years.

“It will be visible for miles around, it’s below SalisburyPlain ridge in a low lying plain that’s totally unacceptable.”

In a letter to residents this week, Michael Hill, chief executive of The Hills Group said: ” We are proposing a sustainable alternative, an advanced thermal waste treatment facility, which will put non-recyclable waste to good use.

“If granted permission the facility will use state of the art gasification technology to treat non-recyclable waste and generate enough renewable energy to power 46,000 homes.”

The meeting is taking place this morning.