Fury in Rainham over hazardous waste proposal
HAVERING Council has been accused of letting Rainham down after giving the go ahead for a permanent licence for a hazardous waste transfer station in the area.
At the Regulatory Services committee meeting on Thursday September 9, the committee agreed to recommend to the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation that a permanent licence should be given to the station in Salamons Way, Rainham.
Leader of the Independent Local Residents’ Group, Cllr Jeff Tucker said: “I think the council have let us down because they have broken their promise to promote and to regenerate the area but by giving this permanent use they are showing that they have no faith in Rainham.”
The hazardous waste transfer station currently has a temporary licence up until 2012, but its opposers argue that the by giving the go ahead for a permanent licence the council could be opening the flood gates for similar facilities on the site.
They also argue that the decision undermines the council’s own regeneration plans for the area which are set out in the Rainham Compass and includes ambitious �70 million plans to invest in the area.
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Cllr David Durant (Independent Local Residents’ Group) said: “As part of the council’s plans for Rainham the area was earmarked for high grade industry and leisure activities but I cannot see anyone wanting to go canoeing near a waste transfer station and by agreeing this they are opening the doors for more applications of this kind on the site.”
Both councillors have vowed to organise a rally and petition at the next London Thames Gateway meeting where the final decision will be made.
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Cllr Jeff Tucker said: “We believe that Rainham is the jewel in the crown and it has vast potential for the future and we are disappointed that the regeneration plans and the committee clearly differ but we are determined that we are going to challenge their decision.”
A Havering Council spokesman said: “We have no objections to the application as the company have been successfully operating the station since 2004 and the proposal will allow for improvements including investment into a laboratory, thereby sustaining jobs and better control of waste in Rainham.”
