Waste plant reaction posted online

3SE - a joint venture between Shanks Waste Solutions and Scottish & Southern Energy - held three public exhibitions in July at which local residents could view and comment on the proposals.

All of the feedback received has now been published at www.bdronline.co.uk. It has also been sent to everyone that left written feedback.

Shanks is developing plans to construct a mechanical biological treatment plant and anaerobic digestion plant on the site. Once operational, it would recycle black bag waste from Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham leaving just 1.5% going to landfill.

All three councils will now have access to the responses, while Shanks will continue to review the feedback and take it into account before a final planning application is submitted.

Cllr Richard Russell, Cabinet member for waste management at Rotherham Borough Council, said:

“Holding a comprehensive consultation programme is a key part of this project for us and our colleagues at Barnsley and Doncaster. Through these events, our mailings to local residents and businesses, and the website, we wanted to make sure that everyone with an interest in the proposals was aware of what is being proposed and had a chance to consider the scheme and give us their input.”

Stephen Ray, bid director for the project at Shanks, said: “I am very grateful to everyone who has taken the trouble to give us their feedback, which gives us a valuable local perspective.

“Traffic was clearly the key issue for those who had concerns. We will be discussing this, along with other issues such as flood risk, with the three local authorities and with our project team to make sure we find the right solutions.

“There were also a number of welcome suggestions and I was also pleased that we were able to address concerns around noise, dust and smells.

“Our consultation does not stop here. Since the exhibitions we have held further meetings with local groups and parish councils and will be continuing our dialogue with the community up to submission of our planning application and, if we are given planning approval, through and beyond the construction process.”

The three public exhibitions followed a newsletter containing details of the exhibitions, which was mailed to 17,600 local households and 900 local business addresses. 

Many residents had previously requested that they be kept up to date by newsletter as they found this the most convenient way of being kept informed.

The public exhibitions were held on the 15th, 16th and 23rd of July at locations in Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster. 129 people attended and 34 left written feedback.