SOUTH West Wiltshire MP Dr Andrew Murrison has called for a ban all new waste incineration plants - starting with the controversial Hills facility in Westbury.

Speaking at Wednesday’s Prime Ministers Question Time, he called for a moratorium on new waste incinerators, including gasification and pyrolysis plants like the one Northacre Renewable Energy wants to build on the Northacre Industrial Estate.

Dr Murrison said the UK already has an excess of waste incineration capacity, adding: “It is putting downward pressure on efforts to reduce waste generation and to reuse and recycle it which are much greener and less damaging options.”

A Northacre Renewable Energy spokesman said: “Northacre advanced thermal treatment facility has the potential to become a critical element of Wiltshire’s waste management and energy infrastructure.

“The Northacre facility will turn waste, which would otherwise be landfilled or driven great distances to Europe, into enough renewable energy to power 46,000 homes.

“It will also eliminate the need for thousands of long-distance lorry trips, helping to deliver significant local economic and environmental benefits.“As we progress with the project we are determined to work closely with stakeholders and the local community to ensure that we operate as considerately as possible and address any concerns people may have.”

Dr Murrison said a moratorium would ‘burnish the UK’s strong application to host the 2020 UN Climate Change Conference’.

He said later: “The PM suggested she was considering the introduction of an incinerator tax to promote recycling.

“Such a tax would also replace falling revenues from the successful landfill tax and has much to commend it, although I would prefer an outright ban on new incinerators and related operations.”