As readers are probably aware (although many local residents are still not!), Surrey County Council recently gave itself planning permission again to build the massive Eco Park waste disposal incinerator in Charlton Lane, Shepperton, despite massive local opposition, which Surrey CC just seem to ignore time and time again for their own reasons. Sadly Secretary of State Eric Pickles failed to ‘call in’ the planning decision, and left the decision with Surrey CC.
So where do we stand now? Well shortly before the planning meeting, an informal and friendly demonstration was held outside the site on a Saturday morning, and around 350+ concerned local residents turned up to vent their anger and disgust at Surrey CC’s plans. This huge opposition was again ignored, and made no difference to Surrey’s decision.
Local residents opposition group Spelthorne Against The Eco Park (SATEP) has been fund raising heavily, and has so far raised (and spent) thousands of pounds on legal advice and opinions, and this has told us that there are several very strong points we can challenge about the planning application, and they way Surrey CC has conducted itself.
Given this strong advice, local resident Chris Netherclift of Charlton Village has now via solicitors and a barrister applied to the High Court for a judicial review of Surrey’s decision (a challenge because the process was wrong). As this is an environmental challenge, Mr Netherclift has legal protection on costs should he lose, but to continue still needs to raise thousands of pounds.
Surrey has until early January to respond, then a judge will decide whether the case is strong enough to proceed to court. Surrey will of course be wasting thousands more pounds of resident’s money on legal advice for something that is wrong and greatly opposed.
SATEP is of course supporting Mr Netherclift in his legal challenge, and is fund raising to help him. Local residents have been very supportive so far, but over £10,000 is still needed for the challenge to continue, the more we can help raise, the bigger chance of stopping the Eco Park.
The residents associations from Charlton Village, Lower Sunbury and Shepperton have all made substantial pledges to the fighting fund, so a big thank you to them.
On the 22nd November, SATEP held a successful concert with big raffle which raised thousands more for the fund. There will also be a Christmas raffle, and a stall at the Shepperton Big Tree Night, where people can find out more and donate.
We ask all residents to help the fighting fund, with whatever they can, and there are various ways to donate and support the legal challenge.
1. visit the website at www.satep.co.uk where you can donate via paypal. (And find out more).
2.Donate straight to the SATEP bank account (please state your name)
Account No:1587 9380
Sort Code:01 01 23
Nat West
3.Cheques payable to ‘SATEP’ can be sent to :-
SATEP
c/o 137 Walnut Tree Rd,
Shepperton,
TW17 0RR.
Please support, and let our community come together again and stop this incinerator once and for all. Don’t be taken in by all the PR and spin, remember the rest of Surrey has already pushed this waste plant away from their boroughs and Spelthorne is last chance saloon.
There is no need for in county waste treatment, the only reason is to give Surrey’s monopoly waste contractor (Sita) more profit (our waste currently is disposed of in far superior and much more efficient Energy From Waste Plants out of county, but these are run by rivals to Sita.
The waste destined for the Eco Park does not go to landfill at the moment anyway!
Wrong thing, wrong location, wrong reasons! (Greed and egos!)
Thanks for supporting. Together we can stop this.