EcoPark Section (Spelthorne Liberal Democrats)

Charlton Lane "Eco Park"

What Surrey CC and SITA are proposing for Charlton Lane is not an "Eco Park" - it is an incinerator. Local Liberal Democrats oppose this on the basis that it is unproven technology in an unsuitable location.

The Eco Park has been through the following process:

Planning consideration by Spelthorne Council. Although this was only advisory as the final decision was always the responsibility of Surrey County Council. Although Spelthorne Planning Committee strongly objected to the proposal this was too little too late. As early as October 2010, long before the application was to be determined, the then Leader of Spelthorne Council told opponents of the scheme that is was "now time to move on". Spelthorne prevented proper scrutiny and did nothing at all to tell Surrey that they opposed the Eco Park. At the time when they could have made a difference Spelthorne Conservatives did nothing.
Determination of the application by Surrey County Council. Surrey CC are both the applicant and the determining authority - judge, jury and executioner. There was no real doubt that they would approve their own application. Spelthorne's Conservative County Councillor on the Planning Committee did not oppose this application - so much for Spelthorne's Conservative fighting for local residents against this proposal. The Liberal Democrats on the committee voted against the Eco Park.
Consideration by the Secretary of State for the Environment. Despite strong technical arguments against the application the Secretary of State rubber stamped Surrey's approval.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) was asked by a local resident to consider the propaganda put out by Surrey CC and SITA (the operating company). The ASA found that several aspects of the information provided to residents was flawed. In practice Surrey failed to provide their residents with balanced and accurate information. So far they have failed to apologise or to act on the judgement. Link to the ASA adjudication

The application fails to meet the air quality requirements. The area already has unsatisfactory air quality according to EU standards.

Surrey Planning Committee will be reconsidering the application on the 9th March 2011.

Local Liberal Democrat Councillors have tried to get proper scrutiny of the application for several years. Only at the last moment have the Tories sought to stop this damaging development.