I have to say I am angry and very frustrated at the decision by the Development Control Committee of Northamptonshire County Council to approve the Shelton Road waste incinerator proposal yesterday. I firmly believe this is the wrong decision on so many levels and that it flies in the face of local feeling, ignoring the very grave concerns - environmental, heritage, and in relation to local housing delivery - set out so eloquently in the many objections submitted by local residents, the other local authorities, and by me as your local Member of Parliament on behalf of my constituents. From my perspective, and that of many local residents and local councillors, there were enough planning grounds on which to throw these plans out, or at the very least, pause for thought and investigate further.
Unfortunately, apart from a legal challenge of the decision, or an appeal on the basis of a procedural technicality, there is virtually nothing that can be done to reverse the outcome of last night’s meeting. Not only is a legal challenge very difficult to mount, but it also requires significant financial outlay for concerned parties.
This is all extremely disappointing and I feel let down - yet again - by the Development Control Committee of Northamptonshire County Council, as I know so many of my constituents will too.
In the end, much has been said about the move to a new unitary authority - and this is of course no consolation today - but one of the big positives will be that significant strategic decisions currently taken remotely in Northampton, like this, with no reference to the views, feelings, and realities of life for people in the North of the county, will be a thing of the past. Instead, in future, those decisions will be taken in North Northamptonshire, by North Northamptonshire people, on behalf of North Northamptonshire.
I want to pay tribute to all those local residents who took the time to stand up and be counted on this and who have run a tireless and energetic campaign. In our part of the county, we got it right on this and urged NCC to listen and refuse these plans. Instead, they refused to listen and in so doing, ultimately let us down.