CONSTRUCTION of the Hills gasification plant in Westbury is expected to begin in April, after permission was granted for the waste burning facility to go ahead on Wednesday, despite strong protests from local people.


Councillors supporting the planning submission said the plant would be “almost invisible” on the landscape within the industrial area, and that the technology was the most up-to-date of its kind.
Wiltshire Council’s strategic planning committee approved revised plans to make the site smaller after the application was rejected last year.
The gasification plant will burn waste from around Wiltshire and Swindon that cannot be recycled, and features 75m high chimney stacks.
Margaret Cavanna, of the protest group in Westbury, said: “We calculated the CO2 emission using DEFRA guidelines and at least 53 tonnes of CO2 will be burned a year there.
“One of the main issues is the chimney stacks that would be emitting all sorts of toxic gases and particles.
“We’ve got terrible road infrastructure and it’s not suitable for 51,000 HGV vehicles through the town.”
John Eaton, of Southwick Parish Council, added: “We have to think about the impact on our air quality. However efficient the filters are, half of all particulates will still escape.”
Mike Sutton, of Westbury Town Council, said: “In reality, nothing much has changed in the size from the previous application. It will be highly visible from the surrounding area and will be exacerbated by the fact that people will know that it is a recycling facility.
“Consider the health of the people you are meant to represent.
“Some things have to come first and I wouldn’t want to be in a situation where everybody matters unless you are worried about their health and safety.”
Michael Hill, of the Hills Group, said: “We are committed to doing what is right for Wiltshire. It is obvious the current approach is not sustainable. Each year tens of thousands of tonnes of waste is transported to be landfilled elsewhere in the UK or Europe.
“This cannot continue as methane is far more damaging than CO2. This facility will be state-of-the-art and create enough energy to heat 46,000 homes rather than transporting our waste at a great cost to the council and businesses.”
The committee, whose meeting was preceded by a demonstration by residents, town and parish councils, who protested outside County Hall this morning, approved the plan by eight votes to four.
Hills say construction is due to begin in April.