East Suffolk Council
Views invited on permit for small waste incineration plant
An application for an environmental permit has been submitted to East Suffolk Council for a small waste incineration plant at Ellough, near Beccles and residents are invited to submit their views.
As part of the application process for the permit, East Suffolk residents are invited to submit their views and a public consultation is now open.
The proposal to build and operate a Small Waste Incineration Plant (SWIP) in Ellough was submitted to Suffolk County Council and planning permission was granted in May 2023. This plant will be owned, constructed and managed by V.C. Cooke Ltd alongside their existing waste operation on the Ellough Industrial Estate.
In law, as well as planning permission for a waste incinerator, the operators need to obtain a permit to ensure it operates with minimal pollution.
V.C. Cooke Ltd have now applied to East Suffolk Council for this permit, and provided information about how the site will be built and controlled. The Council’s Environmental Protection team will now follow a strict process to assess whether the application proves the SWIP will not cause harm to human health or the environment.
Residents are invited to take part in the consultation and provide any information or facts about the site that may not be included in the application paperwork. This ensures the Council has fully assessed how the operator intends to manage the incinerator.
Cllr Caroline Topping, Leader of East Suffolk Council said: “This application has generated a lot of interest from local residents. I am keen that everybody is given the opportunity to express their views on this issue in a constructive way and is able to ask questions to address any concerns and understand what is being proposed. The planning application for the plant has already been approved by Suffolk County Council and there is now an opportunity for residents to find out more about the environmental permit by attending a drop-in session, hosted by East Suffolk’s Environmental Protection team.”
If a permit is granted and the incinerator is built, the Council then continues its role as a regulator by making regular inspections to ensure that the operator is complying with the permit.
This consultation is now closed.