Waste-To-Energy Recycling Facility Blocked

Plans for a £40m waste-to-energy recycling centre have been rejected by planners.

Consortium Veridis Energy, led by Irish Recycling Services, had planned to build the facility on the Ballyutoag Road, situated between north Belfast and Nutts Corner.

Verdis are said to be "deeply disappointed" with the decision, which was supported by MLAs, and are beginning the appeal process.

A letter from Northern Ireland's Environment Minister Edwin Poots (pictured) to MLAs said: "The planning service has recommended this application be refused and I concur with this advice."

Alastair Nicol, Engineering Development Manager with Veridis, said: "Solving the problem of our energy dependency is not as simple as sticking up a few wind turbines,

"In due course, we will need every source of energy to survive. Delivering energy from waste is an essential part of that.

"We believe in the value and quality of this project and that people will soon realise the pressing need for it."

Northern Ireland is required to vastly reduce the amount of waste it sends to landfill in-line with strict EU targets.

Meanwhile, construction has halted on Dublin's Poolbeg incinerator after the Irish Department of the Environment failed to approve a foreshore licence.

The Department is yet to process an application lodged in December 2008 for an out-flow pipe into the sea.

Work on the €350m facility can't resume until the license is granted.

Incinerator operator Covanta are seeking a meeting with Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

The Environment Minister John Gormley, who has said he would prefer mechanical biological treatment to deal with the waste problem than the incinerator which would be located in his constituency, recently published draft policy proposals which would make the project economically unviable.

The President of Europe arm of the company, Scott Whitney, said they will not rule out legal action against Ireland if the project is shelved.

He said the firm has spent of millions of euro on the project to date and that up to 600 jobs would be lost if the project is scrapped.

(GK/BMcC)