Councillor Barrett's petition shows strength of local opposition

Apr 10 2009 By Gordon Bannerman

A PERTH city centre councillor who fears a Shore Road incinerator will create a “hellhole” is reporting a massive response to his petition.

Councillor Peter Barrett has been deluged by concerned residents responding to Tuesday’s “call to arms” to block advanced plans for a huge £100 million project which will dominate the riverfront.

Yesterday, Councillor Barrett said: “The response has been truly amazing. The phone has been ringing off the hook and the emails keep flooding in.

“Everyone is saying thank goodness someone is taking this on. People are shocked by the proposals and amazed that anyone could propose something so devastating.”

Councillor Barrett has now rolled out a petition aimed at highlighting a “Stop the Incinerator” campaign.

“I want to mobilise Perth people to fight to save our city from the incinerator and to make sure that the full extent of public opposition to this dreadful structure is made clear.

“Local people are horrified by the scale of the 114-foot high powerplant and the 260-foot chimney, which will scar Perth's historic skyline from every direction and for miles around. People believe this would be corporate vandalism of the worst order.”

The councillor admitted the sheer scale of the development was hard to credit.

But he is urging concerned residents to write to the council, formally submitting their objections to the waste to energy plant planning application.

He warned: “The petition is the first step in what will be an unrelenting campaign. Crucially, I need everyone to take the time and make the effort to write to the council to put their objections on record.

“We must make an overwhelming case against the incinerator in unanswerable numbers.”

Councillor Barrett is questioning the validity of Grundon Waste Management's tactic of pursuing a “reserved matters” application rather than submitting a full planning application from scratch.

Outline consent was approved in March 2006 following discussion on a smaller scale energy from waste plant to treat the small amount of residual waste generated at Holden Environmental Services’ yard on the Shore Road.

He said: “Many Perth residents and one of the local community councils are anxious to learn exactly what, if any, principles and planning issues are established by the outline consent.

“The new application represents such a significant departure from what was discussed at the outline stage that I do not believe it is right or even appropriate for it to be considered as ‘reserved matters’.

“The applicant's planning statement makes repeated claims regarding the outline consent but I think they are overstating and overreaching themselves. It may be their first sign of desperation.

“By requesting a new full planning application the council would go a long way to answering public doubts over the wisdom of the decision to grant outline consent.

“It would also provide reassurance regarding the questions of governance and the absence of any elected member scrutiny of the outline planning decision.

“By requesting a new full planning application the council would go a long way to answering public concern at the outline planning decision.”

Councillor Barrett is seeking urgent clarification from senior planning officers on the reserved matters approach.

Anyone wishing a copy of the “Stop the Incinerator” petition should call Perth 475090 or email pabarrett@pkc.gov.uk