29/4/09
FANTASTIC NEWS!!
"We were surprised and thrilled to receive the SITA press release today. We have argued consistently that there was no need for the development quite apart from its negative environmental impact. It seems they now agree with us and are no longer happy with the commercial viability of their proposal.
Needless to say we will be maintaining a close watching brief on any alternatives they may be proposing and oppose anything we regard as damaging to the environment and local communities.
This outcome is in no small measure the result of the fantastic support we have received from the local community and like-minded people elsewhere. The 5000 people who signed our petition are proof of the strength of feeling on this issue."
- Lindsay Perks
This is a fantastic result, well done to everyone that has supported the Notolandfill Campaign over the past 3 years!
Read BBC News article: here
Read NewsPostLeader article: here
Click on the icon below for an MS-Word version of the SITA Press Release:
21/5/09
Copied below is the Northumberland County Council letter announcing that the landfill extension application has been WITHDRAWN: -
Ref: 05/00151/CCMEIA/307, A23
Enquiries to: Frances Wilkinson
Direct Line: 01670 534064
Fax: 01670 533409
Email: Frances.Wilkinson@northumberland.gov.uk
Date: 21 May 2009
Dear Sir/Madam
Town and Country Planning Act 1990
Town and Country Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 1999
Extension to Seghill Landfill Site for the disposal of non-hazardous waste, including new access road with bridge over railway, waste reception area, composting facility, regrading of land to the south of the site, re-routing of powerline, landscaping and surface water drainage scheme on land adjacent to Seghill landfill site
I am writing to inform you that the above planning application has been withdrawn. No further action will be taken in relation to the application.
Yours faithfully
Frances Wilkinson
Principal Planning Officer
Central Development Management Team
04/3/09
SITA LAND-'HILL' APPLICATION APPROVED BY NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY COUNCIL
Northumberland County Council have demonstrated the extent of their concern for their environment and for the community that they represent by recommending that SITA continue to dump untreated rubbish in a massive pile at Seghill for another 3.5 years.
Contrary to National Government guidelines, the Councillors listed below believe that the best way to deal with waste is to dump it near community residences and cover it with soil.
These are the names of the Committee that gave permission for this Environmentally Destructive National Disgrace:
Chairman Cllr. Paul Kelly
Vice Chairman Cllr. Trevor N. Thorne
Member Cllr. Alan R. Armstrong
Member Cllr. Thomas (Tom) Brechany
Member Cllr. Vince Coils
Member Cllr. Wayne Daley
Member Cllr. Jean B. Fearon
Member Cllr. John James (Jeff) Gobin
Member Cllr. Edward Heslop
Member Cllr. Colin W. Horncastle
Member Cllr. David Moore
Member Cllr. Ken Parry
Member Cllr. Patricia A. (Pat) Scott
Member Cllr. George Todd
Member Cllr. R. J. D. (Dougie) Watkin
Member Cllr. Thomas S. (Tom) Wilson
Details are on the Northumberland County Council website: here
27/2/09
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY COUNCIL PLANNING MEETING FOR SITA APPLICATION
URGENT UPDATE!
Northumberland County Council will be meeting at County Hall Morpeth to discuss the SITA application on Tuesday 3rd of March at 10:30am
PLEASE ATTEND THIS PUBLIC MEETING TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT!
Details are on the Northumberland County Council website: here
If you would like to attend - but have transport problems please email:
17/2/09
NORTH TYNESIDE PLANNING COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY OBJECT TO SITA APPLICATION
MORE GOOD NEWS!
North Tyneside Planning Committee have unanimously rejected the application from SITA to extend their period of operation at the existing Seghill site - for all the right reasons.
The recommendation had to be phrased as an objection rather than a rejection as they have no powers in this matter because the site is totally outside the boundaries of North Tyneside. They were merely being consulted in an advisory capacity. All those present accepted the officers' recommendation in no uncertain terms and added a further recommendation that North Tyneside request that the matter be referred to the Secretary of State for decision (be 'called in').
Now that BOTH Blyth Valley AND North Tyneside have made their objections known there is a good case to be made that the matter be 'called in' even if Northumberland County Council approve SITA's application.
3/2/09
BLYTH VALLEY VOTE AGAINST SITA PLANNING APPLICATION
GOOD NEWS! A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD IN OUR BATTLE
Blyth Valley Council Planning Committee have voted against extending the timescale for Seghill Landfill Operations. See the full description of SITA's latest application below.
3/2/09
OUR OBJECTION TO SITA PLANNING APPLICATION:
RE: Planning Application Reference Number 08/00176/CCM
Variation of conditions 1 and 2 of Planning Perm 04/00101.CCMEIA to delay the end dates for landfilling and restoration work at the Seghill landfill site for the disposal of non-hazardous waste.
Statement of Objection by NoToLandfill
NoToLandfill object to SITA's planning application to extend the time scale on the following grounds.
The continuance of the current operation at the Seghill site will: –
1. Be unnecessary in the light of reducing quantities of MSW and alternative more environmentally acceptable means of disposal.
We have consistently argued that this was the case and have now been vindicated by SITA themselves admitting they are not able to fill the site within their original time frame.
This must be for one of two reasons – or both.
• There is less material being generated for landfill, mainly due to greater emphasis on re-cycling both by central and local government and local residents.
• SITA have deliberately reduced their input levels for commercial reasons to enable them to maintain an operational facility pending a decision on their original so far unsuccessful application.
2. Disregard recent trends and developments and new waste treatment facilities in the sub-region.
Since the site was first established over 50 years ago, the importance of ‘waste treatment‘ has increased significantly. Recognition of the adverse environmental impact of landfill is now better understood than it was and recognised as harmful in the proximity of human dwellings.
A report from the Audit Commission has indicated the need for more action to achieve the diversion of waste from landfill to achieve the desired outcomes for the overall national waste target. This report – ‘Well disposed' September, 2008 – sets out the questions that Councillors should pose as part of the scrutiny process when determining their policy for waste disposal for the future.
Not only has there been a reduction in demand for landfill due to improvements in recycling but increased capacity is now available in Northumberland, Newcastle and Gateshead .
All estimates of waste ‘arisings' and end destinations will be affected by the likely tightening of controls and further restrictions to be placed on local authorities and others managing waste for the future.
Northumberland County Council, as a waste disposal authority, has taken commendable, positive and decisive action to resolve its own needs. They now find themselves faced with a request from a commercial contractor to approve extending landfill for another three and a half years, which is two and a half years beyond the previously determined time limit.
The existing capacity in the sub-region, if properly managed, renders any extension of time at Seghill unnecessary.
3. Be contrary to the wishes of the local community as evidenced by the 5000 people who signed a petition against any further landfilling on this site.
Residents of Seghill, Holywell, Seaton Delaval, Killingworth, Backworth and Earsdon have suffered from the adverse conditions associated with landfill operations (more correctly land raise) for in excess of 50 years. (i. e. Smells, flies, vermin, noise, traffic, litter and risk to health ). An indication of the level of public concern is that over 5000 people signed a petition objecting to any extension. Can it be right to inflict even more suffering on the same people, when there is no compelling case for the development anyway?
We believe Enough is enough!
4. Increase existing nuisance and health impacts on the local communities.
In addition to the smells, litter, flies and vermin, continuance of landfilling operations at Seghill for another three and half years will lead to further exposure of the surrounding area and its residents to all the following aspects and delay its return to normality.
5. Continue the current high unacceptable volume of traffic.
If the period of operation is to be extended, existing roads through the villages (and Seghill in particular) will have to carry increased traffic. SITA sought to justify their previous proposal on their intention to divert traffic to alleviate the nuisance and danger to health of the existing roads.
6. Be harmful to the ecology, nature conservation and agriculture of the area,
Clearly continuance of landfill will delay the restoration of the area, which would otherwise begin within twelve months.
7. Have a negative impact on the landscape and the visual amenity
The eyesore will remain and residents will suffer the proximity of landfill for longer.
8. Adversely impact recreational use of the area.
The presence of the operational landfill site and its attendant problems will deter present and planned recreational use by residents and visitors alike.
NB: All the above aspects are expanded in the NoToLandfill group's detailed objections to SITA's original application (Northumberland County Council Ref: 05/00151/CCMEIA) to extend their operations at Seghill, in our Objection Document submitted in November 2005 and updated in 2008.
We give notice that we wish to have the opportunity to speak at the relevant Planning Committee when the matter is considered.
Lindsay Perks - 3rd February 2009
Click on the icon below for an MS-Word version of the official NoToLandfill objection to SITA's application (submitted to Northumberland County Council):
SEND IN YOUR OBJECTION!
If you wish to support our campaign, please send in your objections to Northumberland County Council either in your own words or simply saying you support NoToLandfill's objection. The more individual objections the better!
The postal address to send objections to is:
Mrs Frances Wilkinson
NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY COUNCIL
County Hall
Morpeth
NE61 2EF
OR - email: planning@northumberland.gov.uk
Quoting reference number: 08/00176/CCM
Many thanks,
Lindsay
24/1/09
NEW SITA PLANNING APPLICATION
LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUP (NOTOLANDFILL) TO FIGHT THE NEW APPLICATION FROM SITA TO EXTEND THE DURATION OF THEIR CURRENT LANDFILL OPERATIONS AT SEGHILL
Organisers of NoToLandfill (notolandfill.com) are dismayed by SITA's planning application to extend their current landfill operations at Seghill by another 2 I/2 years, with a further year and four months for land restoration work. At a special meeting of the campaign group's officers on Friday 23/1/09 it was unanimously agreed to submit the strongest possible objections to this proposal.
The Chairman of the NoToLandfill group, Lindsay Perks, said, “This application signals SITA's total disregard of the wishes of local residents. Their previous application to extend the area and duration of landfilling at Seghill was thrown out by North Tyneside Council and only approved by Northumberland County Council by the narrowest of margins (7 votes to 6). That application has now been called in for consideration by the Secretary of State. We believed that this would enable the whole proposal to be debated in public by all parties and that the arguments against the continuance of an outmoded system of disposal for domestic waste would prevail.
Now it seems that SITA are seeking to bypass this process by asking for the closing date for their current operation, for which they only have permission until December this year, to be delayed until 30 th June 2012 , with restoration work to be completed by 31 st October 2013 .
That is, in effect, to continue the current nuisance for almost another five years!
This means at least three and a half more years of heavy traffic, smells, litter, noise, vermin and flies, just when local residents, who have suffered from all of these things for over 50 years, thought the end was in sight. SITA sought to justify their previous application on the grounds that they were providing a new road to relieve the dangerously high traffic movements through Seghill. Now they are proposing to continue this traffic through Seghill for up to another five years, including the restoration period!
This is totally unacceptable. All the more so when the demand for landfill capacity is diminishing everywhere. We have always argued that the original proposal was unnecessary and SITA themselves now admit in their new application that they need more time to fill the current site to capacity because people are re-cycling more and demand for landfill has dropped. Why then not cap it off and depart?
There is no virtue in landfilling for its own sake. The latest forecast demand for municipal waste for Northumberland and North Tyneside combined is only 80,000 tonnes per year. SITA are asking for capacity for 157,000 tonnes per year. Where is all that to come from? Is Seghill to be the dustbin for the North – or even further afield?
Local residents in all the surrounding area have been exposed to all the problems of living near a landfill site for over 50 years. More than 5000 of them signed a petition to put an end to landfill. Why should they be expected to suffer any more?”
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
CONTACT: Lindsay Perks (Chairman: NoToLandfill)
07948 728 726
Click on the icon below for an MS-Word version of this Press Release:
The Northumberland County Council letter below announces SITA's latest attempt to continue with Landfill Operations regardless of the wishes of local residents: -
Ref: 08/001 76/CCM/FW
Contact: Mrs Frances Wilkinson
Direct Line: 01670 534064
Fax: 01670 533409
Email: planning@northumberland.gov.uk
Date: 14 January 2009
Dear Sir/Madam
Town and Country Planning Act 1990
Reference No: 08/00176/CCM
Proposed Development:
Variation of conditions 1 and 2 of planning permission 04/00101/CCMEIA
to delay the end date for landfilling
Location:
Seghill Landfill Site
Seghill
Cramlington
NE23 7DY
I am writing to inform you that a planning application has been submitted by SITA UK Ltd to Northumberland County Council for the above development. A copy of the planning application can be inspected between the hours of 9.00am and 5.00pm (Monday to Friday) at the following address:-
Northumberland County Council, County Hall, Morpeth, NE61 2EF
Blyth Valley Borough Council, Council Offices, Seaton Delaval, Whitley Bay, NE25 ODX
The application can also be viewed by visiting the County Councils website: www.northumberland.gov.uk/planning. Click "Development Control" from the third paragraph. The register can be found by choosing "More" from the Service section on the right hand side. Next choose to "View or Comment on a planning application". After selecting to complete an application search on the left hand side enter the application reference number as above.
If you have any comments to make on the proposals these should be submitted to me in writing within 21 days of the date of this letter, quoting reference number 08/00176/CCM either to above postal or email address. Your attention is drawn to the terms of the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 which enables any member of the public to inspect correspondence relating to the application.
Yours faithfully
Mrs Frances Wilkinson
Senior Planning Officer
Minerals, Waste and Development Control
To go directly to SITA's Application click on this link:
- and type in the Application Case Reference: 08/00176/CCM
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PUBLIC ENQUIRY
25/09/08
Government Decision to 'Call in' SITA application to extend landfill at Seghill
Organisers of NoToLandfill have welcomed the decision by the Secretary of State Hazel Blears to hold a Public Enquiry. Chairman of the NoToLandfill Campaign - Lindsay Perks told the News Guardian:
"We're glad government has taken the initiative and called it in. We will now have a proper opportunity to put our arguments across" -
see - Press Clippings page for larger image of News Guardian article above
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Campaigners Joy as Council Rejects Landfill Development!
14/08/08
At the conclusion of possibly the longest and most complex hearing by the North Tyneside Planning Committee, after over three and a half hours of detailed scrutiny carried out by members of the Committee in front of a packed public gallery, there were cries of relief when Councillors decided to reject the proposal from SITA (UK) plc.
Organisers of NoToLandfill, which has been campaigning for over three years to stop the extension of the Seghill Landfill site operations for a further 20 years, expressed satisfaction with the decision of the North Tyneside Planning Committee which last night (14/08/08) rejected the proposals to extend the site on the boundary of North Tyneside and Northumberland.
More than two thirds of the councillors present voted against the development and not one voted in favour.
Paul Irwin, a local resident and one of the Coordinators of the campaign said:-
"This is great news. Over 5000 residents signed the petition opposing this monstrous proposal. Although this is only a first step towards total rejection of this unnecessary and environmentally dangerous development, we are confident that a full public enquiry, now likely to be ordered by the Secretary of State for the Environment, will allow us to present our arguments before a planning inspector without being restricted to the ludicrous five minutes time allowed to us last night.
We believe the residents of Backworth, Seghill, Holywell, Seaton Delaval and other local communities have suffered for too long.
The world and national environmental agenda does not support this outdated practice. Now is the time to say - enough is enough!
After three years we are now going take a short break then return to collect our thoughts, re-group and prepare for the next stage. The campaign group is going from strength to strength, people are mindful that landfill should no longer be an option and are pledging their support via our website and e-mails daily."
see - Press Clippings page for larger image of News Guardian article above
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Message from Chair of NoToLandfill Campaign Mr. Lindsay Perks O.B.E.
15/08/08
To all members and supporters of the NoToLandfill Campaign.
I hope you are all as delighted as I am that North Tyneside rejected SITA's proposal. Fourteen councillors voted for rejection and nobody at all voted for the application.
Thank you North Tyneside!
We had a good success last night. The North Tyneside Councillors showed they had listened to what the residents said and had a much better appreciation of what living next to a landfill site really means. They understood that, though the actual tip may be in Northumberland, noise, litter, smells, birds and vermin do not recognise local authority boundaries. They also clearly recognised how unfair it would be if local residents, who had already suffered the impact of a landfill for over 50 years should suffer any more.
Of course, it is not the end of the matter and SITA have already signalled that they may appeal. At least we have won a significant battle but we need to win the campaign. If the application goes to a public enquiry then at least we will have the opportunity to spell out all our objections in full and in a structured way, rather than being confined to a 5 minute response to a 57 page document and an hours presentation.
As I said on Radio Newcastle this morning (15/08/08), great credit must go to the great number of people who have helped. People who collected over 5000 signatures for our petition, delivered leaflets, stuck up posters, stood in the rain and waved banners - as well as the people who produced our original report and have done research ever since.
My thanks and best wishes to you all.
My wife and I are off on holiday for a couple of weeks.
I look forward to working with you to bring the campaign to a successful conclusion when I return.
Kind regards
Lindsay
- Could anyone noticing litter or odours spilling over from the SITA site please report it officially by ringing the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60. We know there is a problem, it must be logged with the proper authorities. At the same time ring Blyth Valley Environmental Protection (01670 542 312) for a local response.
- Vicky Barrington from Blyth Valley Environmental Protection has said that residents should call her team with complaints where they would be logged and wherever possible a local officer would be sent out. Phone 01670 542 312 or 01670 542 320.
- The local press continues to give good coverage of the campaign. There's more about North Tyneside Council and the 'landfill allowances' bought from the London Borough of Westminster here, and a list of recent articles here.
- It is still very important that you send letters of objection to the Environment Agency - you can download a suggested letter here.
- Many supporters have asked for maps of the affected area and the proposed extension to the landfill site. You can find them here.
- Anyone wishing to contact North Tyneside Cllr. Brian Burdis with your concerns over the landfill proposals should do so here.
Keep circulating the 'Online Petition' to all in your address book, we need as many signatures as possible. You can find the petition here
If you think that you could help in any way with (admin services, legal advice, printing of leaflets/banners etc or have expertise & time to analyse documents) then please let us know here.
If you email ideas or comments to the campaign and do not want them to appear on this site, please make this clear as we will tend to make anything useful, inspiring or interesting available online.
The 'No to landfill' contact number is: 07932 896 842
This site is frequently updated and we would appreciate any comments, suggestions, and particularly notification of bits that don't work as expected. Please let us know.
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