The Petition of Stop Incinerators in Disguise (S.I.D) in the constituency of Tatton in Cheshire,

Declares that they want to stop the building of an incinerator (Waste Treatment Plant) at New Cheshire Business Park in Wincham.

The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Secretary of State responsible for local government to put pressure on the local authority to reject the plans to build an incinerator in the area.

And the Petitioners remain, etc.—[Presented by Mr. George Osborne, Official Report, 10 February 2010; Vol. 505, c. 8P .]

[P000730]

Observations from the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government:

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government is aware that a planning application has been submitted to Cheshire West and Chester council in respect of the above development. He is advised that the application was registered on 19 November 2009.

Cheshire West and Chester borough council are responsible for the day to day planning control in their area, and the Secretary of State cannot comment on the merits or otherwise of any application. The Government’s policy is not to interfere with the jurisdiction of a local planning authority unless it is necessary to do so. This is because local authority councillors are elected to represent the views of local people and, in the main, it is these councillors who are in the best position to decide whether a development should go ahead. It is, of course, for local planning authorities to provide whatever justification it may be appropriate to give for their decisions and procedures.

In determining a planning application the local planning authority, who have full knowledge of the local circumstances, are required to have regard to all material considerations including the development plan, national policies and views expressed by third parties.

The Secretary of State might decide to call-in the application for his own determination if he considers that it raises matters of more than local importance, but his policy is to be very selective about this. As it is possible that this proposal may, at some future date, come within his jurisdiction, it would be inappropriate to comment on the issues raised in the petition.