Cllr Helen Treeby and MP Esther McVey are delighted the proposed expansion of burning capacity for the incinerator at Lostock Works has been rejected and made sure all residents were aware of the good news with a local leaflet campaign.

The expansion would have seen the amount of waste burned rise from 600,000 to 728,000 tonnes a year. If agreed, it would have seen a large increase in the number of lorries coming and going to the site with extended hours of working and created an increase in emissions.

Helen, along with Tatton MP Esther McVey, has been working hard with residents over many months to oppose the measures and had raised the concerns of residents to both Chester West and Cheshire Council and the Government.

Helen said, “I have been contacted by so many concerned residents about this and have been working closely with them to get this proposal thrown out. I could not be happier that our hard work has paid off and Government rejected the plans for increased burning capacity. This would have had huge implications for Rudheath residents.”

Esther McVey added “I am so pleased Government has listened to the residents of Rudheath and opposed this expansion. It was always clear to me there was no need for any expansion. Households are recycling more and therefore will have less waste so the argument of greater burning capacity made no sense.’’

‘’I was not convinced there was any sort of business case for the expansion and the increased disruption for residents, in terms of noise and HGV movements was just not acceptable’’.

The decision to allow the expansion fell to government. As planning permission was granted in 2012 and the proposals were not to expand the incinerator but to change capacity a new planning application did not have to be submitted.