A COUNCILLOR has spoken of his anger after a major landfill company went back on a promise to close a huge tip.
Mucking Tip near East Tilbury has been a running sore for local residents for many years – and they fought an unsuccessful campaign against an extension to its licence three years ago.
However, they were promised that the tip would close this year and be converted into a riverside park.
Planning consent for the extended tipping was granted by Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation, but now Cory Environmental, who run the site to dispose of London’s waste, have said they want at least a six month extension.
That has raised the hackles of independent local councillor Barry Palmer who told The Enquirer: “I understand the rubbish needs disposing of but we in Thurrock have taken our fair share of London’s rubbish.
“Over the years Cory has been a story of extensions, extensions, extensions. The people here and closer to the tip have had enough.
“If it goes to Thurrock Council I will categorically speak out against it.
“I have been campaigning against this for 30 years now and I’ve now lost count of the number of extensions, excuses and problems Cory and others have raised to counter our objections.
“These people making the decisions don’t have to deal with the day to day nuisance of the tip.”
Cory had pledged that rubbish currently going to the Mucking landfill site will be processed at the new Riverside Energy further up the Thames at Belvedere. once Mucking closes.
However, that is running behind schedule, with Cory offering the explanation that delays are down to the credit crunch and its affect on funding from Waste facility at Belvedere.
Essex Wildlife Trust, who have been granted £2.5 million in funding from Cory Environmental to redevelop the site after landfill is ceased, have confirmed that they are not objecting to the proposal to extend the working life of the current site.
Michelle Kench, Essex Wildlife Trust’s Media and Marketing Officer, said: “We are not objecting as the only other viable option is driving waste to another landfill in Essex causing even more damage.
“As we understand it the extension is because the new incinerator is not ready and once it is we will be looking to begin our redevelopment.
“We are still continuing with our plans to develop Thurrock Thameside Nature Park and this six month extension will not put back our plans.”
But Cllr Palmer has criticised saying: “I know Cory will say that without use of the Mucking site rubbish will have to be driven by lorry to Colchester but with the Olympic development will one or two more lorries really make a difference?”
The new park, when it is created will include a visitor’s centre overlooking the Thames as well as 12 miles of footways, bridleways and cycle paths.
A spokesperson for the Development Corporation said it could not comment on applications before they were dealt with by its planning committee.
