Construction on a new Oxfordshire waste incinerator could begin as soon as April 2011 after plans won approval from the local authority.
On Monday, councillors backed a proposed waste-burning incinerator for a site in Ardley off the M40. The waste firm behind the plans, Viridor, said that work could begin by next April with a completion date of sometime in 2014.
Members of the local council have given the plant permission under a 35-year contract, but the countryside will be restored at the end of the period. The company said the facility will be able to convert 300,000 tonnes of rubbish into energy per year.
Viridor challenged a refusal for the same proposal last year. A public inquiry was held along with a planning inspector, whose decision is expected in January 2011.
The second application has now won approval from the council, however, opposition campaigners continue to fight against the plant. Opponents of the proposed incinerator say that it will be detrimental to the countryside, is not necessary and will cause traffic to increase.
However, Viridor’s project manager Robert Ryan said that the site wil be landscaped in a way that is sympathetic to the natural environment, he added that it is also a ways from Ardley village.
Furthermore, Mr Ryan states that the firm will continue to provide detailed plans for the plant and engage the community during construction.
The county council has said that the incinerator poses the best deal to handle the local municipal non-recyclable rubbish.
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