New Environmental Improvement Plan aims to half waste

The Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (DEFRA) launched yesterday (Tuesday) is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1133077/environmental-improvement-plan-2023.pdf

This may be relevant for consideration of the Swadlincote Resource Recovery Park, for the following reasons:

• APEX GOAL: It outlines an ‘apex goal’ (p.10) to halt the decline of biodiversity and ensure thriving plants and wildlife, with goals such as waste reduction, air quality improvements and landscape enhancement feeding into it. Supporting protected species and habitats is also outlined within the plan (p.29-) - relevant given the SRRP WILL destroy five wildlife sites, priority habitat (deciduous woodland) and protected species as stated in the application: “would lead to the loss of most/all habitats within the portion of the Local Wildlife Sites that would be developed" (Alternative Sites Report, p.7).

• HALVING WASTE REDUCTION: The Environmental Improvement Plan sets out a commitment to the vast reduction of waste in an effort to reduce waste sent to landfill, incineration AND energy recovery: "We will halve ‘residual’ waste (excluding major mineral waste) produced per person by 2042. For the purposes of the target, we define ‘residual’ waste as waste that is sent to landfill, put through incineration or used in energy recovery in the UK, or that is sent overseas to be used in energy recovery” Pg. 142-162 are relevant to waste. Pg. 147 contain new targets relating to residual waste (437kg per capita by 2028, 287kg by 2042). This is highly relevant to consideration for waste incineration capacity (where in England there is already over-capacity) and in light of the capacity provided at the Drakelow incinerator just 3.1km away (largely overlooked in the planning application).

• CUTTING AIR POLLUTION: It also identifies the need to cut air pollution from industrial emissions (of which EFW create 5m tonnes of CO2 a year, and needs to be reduced according to the National Infrastructure Commission, Second Baseline Report, p.41).

• PROTECTING LANDSCAPES: Finally, the protection of landscapes is also outlined (p.243-). The PROWS and wider National Forest impacted by this development would see permanent ‘major to moderate’ harm, by highly susceptible users this is noted throughout the LVIA and summarised in table 7.8. The PROWs in Stanton are accessible and the elderly often pass my home on one of those bridleways for fresh air and to take in the countryside (Bridleway 101, Bridle Lane after the Council kindly resurfaced this to aid accessibility). We now have over 1100 petition signatures concerned with such visual effect impacts alone. The development would severely impact this enjoyment(amenity), and would go directly against the Environmental Improvement Plan which seeks to support access to and enhance existing green spaces.