Campaigners battle to keep Wisbech incinerator 'on the agenda'
It's five years since campaigners formed a group opposing the plans
A campaign group fighting plans for an incinerator in Wisbech hopes it can continue to keep the issue in the spotlight.
The Wisbech Without Incineration group - co-ordinated by Ginny Bucknor - was formed five years ago this month in opposition to MVV Environment Limited's plans to build the incinerator on land off Algores Way.
MVV Environment Ltd claims the £300 million project will generate more than 50 megawatts of electricity to power 74,000 homes.
Since the plans were first unveiled by MVV in 2020, Ms Bucknor has seen more people become aware of the group and currently has more than 3,500 followers on its Facebook page.
"It's been challenging because we are a rural community and sometimes it has been tough and exhausting," she said.
"We're constantly trying to think of new ways to keep the Wisbech incinerator campaign on people's agenda."
Community meeting
The incinerator - which has faced criticism around concerns on pollution levels, more traffic to and from the site and its location - was approved by former Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho in February last year.
Since then, the Environment Agency has granted an environmental permit to MVV for the incinerator, which are scheduled to begin next year after a legal challenge against the plans was rejected.
Last month, a community meeting was hosted by MVV at the Oasis Community Centre in Wisbech for people to raise concerns around the project.
The company - criticised for the way it publicised that meeting - is hosting another open event at the same venue this Wednesday evening.
Campaign has been 'an uphill struggle'
"When something is wrong, you have to keep fighting it," Ms Bucknor said.
"This is so wrong for so many reasons, for our children's health, for the food produced in the area, for the disruption it will cause everybody with these hundreds of lorries going in and out (of the incinerator site)."
In January, Ms Bucknor told Greatest Hits Radio she was optimistic about the Labour Government's plans around incinerators.
But despite the challenges campaigners have faced so far, the fight is not over.
"If we were just a small group of people and had no support from the community, it would've been very easy to stop but because we've had this continual support from so many people, it's proved that it's been worthwhile even though it's been an uphill struggle," Ms Bucknor added.
"All we can do is keep raising it on the political agenda because it is a political decision at the end of the day."
MVV has previously said the incinerator will divert more than 500 thousand tonnes of non-recyclable waste from landfill every year.