The parliamentary candidates standing for the North East Cambridgeshire constituency have shared their views on the Wisbech incinerator.
In February, MVV Environment was granted permission to build what’s understood to be one of Europe’s biggest incinerator plants on the industrial estate at Algores Way.
The £300m incinerator will generate electricity by burning non-recycled waste that would otherwise go to landfill.
In June, the Environment Agency granted the project its environmental permit after a temporary ban on issuing such permits to new incinerator plants in England was lifted.
Campaigners say they are concerned about pollution and increase in traffic it would generate with lorries on the roads.
Their last hope is that a successful judicial review means the decision is overturned.
In light of the issue, the candidates running to be MP in the constituency have shared their views on the scheme.
Stephen Barclay (Conservative)
He said: “Ever since the plans for an incinerator at Wisbech were announced, I have campaigned against this deeply-flawed proposal. This facility is completely inappropriate for our area.
“Opposition has been widespread around Wisbech and as someone living locally I share the concerns about the threatened impact on the landscape and the increased traffic on our roads that would inevitably follow.
“As the local MP for North East Cambridgeshire, I have done everything in my power to try to halt the scheme from going ahead.
“So I was appalled last month by the Environment Agency’s decision to grant a permit for the incinerator given the depth of local opposition.
“Now as the Conservative candidate seeking to be re-elected at the General Election on July 4, I am committed to continuing my campaign against this proposal and will explore every legal avenue to block it.
“This fight is far from over, with a legal challenge made by Fenland District Council for a judicial review still to be considered.
“But the Labour Party has only responded to this issue by trying to score political points at Westminster, demanding an investigation into my efforts to stand up for local people.
“I remain committed to campaigning to block this threatened blight on our community with every fibre of my being.”
David Chalmers (Lib Dems)
Mr Chalmers issued a press release which described the outgoing Conservative government’s decision to lift the temporary ban on licensing new incinerators “is an insult to Wisbech residents”.
He said: “The Government introduced a temporary ban on licensing the operation of new incinerators within days of the on-off decision of Ministers to grant planning permission for the incinerator at Algores Way in Wisbech.
“At that time, the reason the Government gave for the ban was so that officials could consider the role of waste incineration in the management of residual waste in England.
“Now one of the last actions of this Government is to lift its ban and enable the Environment Agency to issue the necessary permits for the Wisbech incinerator, without saying whether it has reached a conclusion on this matter, and if so, what it is.
“If they have reached a conclusion, no-one knows what it is or how it influenced the issuing of a permit for Wisbech.
"The result is an incinerator inflicted on Wisbech by stealth, and a potential bonanza for the lawyers after the election, which may well end up being paid for by the residents of Fenland.”
Mr Chalmers is calling for the next government to reimpose the temporary ban on licensing of new incinerators until any conclusions reached during the previous ban have been considered and the public properly consulted.
“No government should treat local residents with such disrespect,” he added.
Andrew Crawford (Green Party)
He said: “The Government seems to think that they can walk all over Fenland with this massive incinerator which nobody I’ve discovered locally wants.
“From what I understand how it’s going to be built is going to be a big blot on the landscape and it’s going to effectively turn Wisbech, our historical traditional market town into a waste disposal centre for East Anglia and possibly beyond.
“It’s absolutely outrageous what they’re doing and let's not forget this is the Conservative Party which is doing this...
“This leads on to a second situation which I find somewhat ironic when I read that the previous MP, Stephen Barclay, is vehemently opposed to it.
“I don’t know if this is just me, but it strikes me as irony, that it’s his party that’s permitting it and he’s fighting it.”
Mr Crawford explained he is against the incinerator for two key reasons – its location and that the people of Wisbech and other local bodies “simply do not want it”.
He said: “The placement of it is not going to be of the benefit of the people of Wisbech in particular. It’s going to add to traffic, lorries, congestion and so forth.
“If it was on a better site, we may actually support such a project.
“But it would have to be at a site that is away from people due to the toxic fumes and health hazard that goes with it.
“It’s also very close to a school.”
Javeria Hussain (Labour)
"If I'm elected as MP for NE Cambridgeshire, I’ll take the concerns of local constituents to government.
"But what is clear is that we must drive down the amount of waste we produce in the first place.
"Only a Labour government will get working with industry, local government, and devolved nations to improve waste management across the country.”
David Patrick (Independent)
"A committee of interested people was formed and hours and hours of hard graft were undertaken to try and halt this monster. It was decreed that WisWin would be non political.
"You only have to look around town to see the yellow banners and read the press reports of the past to see just how hard the team have worked.
"They say it’s all over but a change of government might just give us a chance to reverse this decision.
"I am still very much a part of the WisWin team who are still working hard behind the scenes. If elected I will do everything within my power to resist its construction."
Clayton Payne (Workers Party of Britain)
"While it might create short-term jobs, the broader impact on our local economy cannot be ignored.
"An incinerator, brings potential air pollution, odours, and traffic congestion, and will make Wisbech a less attractive destination for new businesses and investors.
"Such a facility would mark Wisbech as an area of low economic development, attracting primarily low skilled jobs and leading to wage stagnation.
"This limits economic diversity and reduces opportunities for higher-paying jobs in sectors like tourism, retail, and odours.
"The presence of an incinerator can also lower property values and tarnish Wisbech’s reputation, further deterring investment and reducing visitor numbers.
"More importantly, the health implications for our residents due to potential pollutant exposure are a major concern.
"We must prioritize the well-being of our community over industrial gains. Increased health issues can diminish quality of life and ruin our beautiful community.
"If elected MP, I would actively work to stop the incinerator. I would raise the issue in Parliament continuously, lobby relevant government ministers, and support a judicial review to challenge the planning decision.
"For the long-term success of Wisbech, we need a more mixed economy approach, pursuing sustainable and community-friendly alternatives that ensure prosperity and health for our future."
Christopher Thornhill (Reform)
He said: “I am particularly shocked that the one was planned for Wisbech that is a mere 0.5 miles from a school! I too live under the spectre of the one at Woodhurst, near St Ives.
“Clearly, I am concerned about how these developments get planning permission especially when they are close to towns and villages from a pollution perspective.
“Once up and running there will be hundreds of heavy trucks rumbling up and down roads which were never designed to handle this traffic and some Fen roads, as you'll know, can be damaged very quickly.
“As often, we see with the government there is no strategy for this technology, so we see these incinerators popping up in random places.
“There should be rules and guidance on where these developments can be positioned and what can be burnt, which considers local people, the environment, the surrounding roads, and required site infrastructure services, all of which should be key in the planning permission decision.
“Reform UK would take a common-sense approach to the matter of waste disposal that would minimise the impact on the environment and importantly with regards to the position of incinerators.
“Incineration is not a silver bullet to the problem of waste and I'm worried local government may get complacent about it.
“The real answer is more at sustainability i.e. less packaging, type of packaging, the products themselves, standardising components, and trying to reuse as much as possible, so only the bare minimum is needed to go to landfill or worst case go for incineration.”
Note: This article was amended on June 16, 2024 to reflect the views of two additional candidates who put themselves forwards after this original story was published.
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