Council opposes Environment Agency plans over Beddington Energy Recovery Facility

Sutton Council is demanding an explanation from the Environment Agency (EA) as it now understands that the EA says it will give Viridor permission to increase the amount of waste being treated at the Beddington Energy Recovery Facility (ERF). 

The EA will now be launching a second stage, six-week consultation starting tomorrow, Friday 21 July 2023, in which they will explain how they have reached their decision and provide a response to any concerns raised in the first round of consultation.

Upon learning of the EA’s response, Councillor Barry Lewis, Chair of the Environment and Sustainable Transport Committee, said:

“This is the wrong decision. The Council has strongly opposed the application to treat more waste at the Beddington Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) from the start. I will be writing to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs asking why the government has approved this unnecessary increase.  

“We will be closely scrutinising the EA’s reasoning for progressing with the permit. As part of this we will be reviewing whether the EA has addressed the concerns raised by us and our residents. 

“We will also be demanding a meeting with the EA to understand why they are going ahead, despite the concerns raised by the Council and our residents” .