News

Alfreton Road Incinerator Update

Readers of this page will recall that we publicised the worrying planning application to set up a waste incinerator on Alfreton Road adjacent to Derby Rugby Club playing fields and in close proximity to Darley Abbey Village.

Members of the Darley Abbey Society who attended our AGM on the 12th April will have been informed that the application had been withdrawn from the Planning Committee meeting on the 13th due in no small part to the submission of an opinion from a leading barrister specialising in planning law. This barrister is a colleague of Darley Abbey resident Juliet Beck who is so worried by the proposal that she funded the opinion herself but is now seeking contributions from the public for re-imbursement and also to fund further reports from scientific experts.

To this end Juliet set up a crowdfunder.co.uk page which was time-limited and ended last week and so she set up a new page http://www.gofundme.com/oppose-the-alfreton-rd-incinerator. The financial management aspects of the fund are administered by Kelly Orwin who is a a qualified accountant and is a named contact on the page.

Juliet hopes to raise enough money to pay for at least 3 experts that need be instructed as a matter of urgency (heritage, ecology & engineering).

Juliet also wishes to clear up some confusion over a printed flyer that was recently delivered to households in the village. (see attached) Unfortunately it was not made clear in the text who was behind the initiative as all it mentioned was the crowd funding website. She confirms that it is her group of activists that set up the site and that it is a genuine fund to fight this proposal. The Darley Abbey Society is pleased to endorse this flyer and urge like minded people to help in opposing this potentially disastrous development on our doorsteps.

At the AGM the Society voted unanimously to make a contribution of £500 towards this fund out of the Society's reserves.

As mentioned above the application was withdrawn from the last Planning Committee meeting and has still not been re-listed although it may well be on 1st June. We will find out on or around 18 May.

Meanwhile, Peter Steer an engineer and Allestree resident has also joined the fight and has written a "Risk Analysis" outlining the potential problems that may well arise if the scheme goes ahead. (see attached file).  He has also taken the council to task on its failure to consult with local residents and businesses not just on the planning application but also for an Environmental Permit which is dealt with by a different department within the Council.

You can see details of the application online at derby.gov.uk on the e-planning portal using planning application reference 10/16/01241. If you are concerned and would like to comment or object you can do so online at derby.gov.uk until 10/05/17 or write to the Council House or email
Arran.Knight@derby.gov.uk quoting 10/16/01241, your name and address.
You may want to copy in Darley Ward Councillor Martin Repton.   martin.repton@derby.gov.uk