Contact: Peter Chadwick, ext 6728

1. Summary

1.1 Condition (26) of the planning permission for the Chineham Energy Recovery Incinerator requires the submission of an Environmental Monitoring scheme. The recommendation is to approve the scheme.

2. Site and Proposal

2.1 The Chineham Energy Recovery Incinerator is under construction, the location is shown on the attached plan. It was granted planning permission in January 2000. Condition (26) of the planning permission required the submission of an Environmental Monitoring scheme before the plant was commissioned.

2.2 The scheme provides for the monitoring of air quality, noise, traffic and water quality. The monitoring for air quality, noise and water quality would be in accordance with the requirements of the Integrated Pollution Protection and Control (IPPC) permit. With regard to traffic it is proposed to carry out a Traffic Assessment Study within the first year.

3. Consultations

3.1 Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council - no comments received.

3.2 Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council's Environmental Health Officer comments that the noise level is based on a baseline noise level undertaken during February 1998 and may not reflect the current noise climate. There is a need to `check' both day and night background noise levels before confirming boundary noise limits.

3.3 Environment Agency - no comments received.

3.4 Chineham Parish Council comments that the submission comprises the actions required by the Environment Agency. There is no indication of how transparent and accessible any results will be to the general public. At the Liaison Panel it was stated that a website would be established for the facility, but this is not included in the submission.

3.5 Newnham Parish Council states that it has no comments.

3.6 Old Basing Parish Council - no comments received.

3.7 Sherfield on Loddon Parish Council - no comments received.

3.8 Countrywatch comments that standards for sampling and analysis should be specified in detail before the incinerator becomes operational and considers it essential that the incinerator does not become operational until the Environmental Management System is in place.

3.9 Basingstoke Burner Acton Campaign (BBAC) - no comments received.

4. Chineham Incinerator Liaison Panel

4.1 The Environmental Monitoring scheme for the Chineham Incinerator was presented to the Liaison Panel, chaired by Councillor Chapman, on 12 November 2002. At the meeting it was confirmed that the public could gain access to information from the Environment Agency through the public register, and that Hampshire Waste Services would be forming a website for the Chineham site to make available such information.

5. Officer's Comments

5.1 There was discussion between officers of the County Council, the Environment Agency and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council when the IPPC monitoring requirements were set by the Environment Agency. Therefore, the Environmental Monitoring scheme reflects the IPPC requirements which followed such discussion.

5.2 It is considered that the submitted scheme is satisfactory, subject to the additional background noise monitoring required by the Environmental Health Officer and the inclusion of the requirement to make the information available to the general public through a website for the Chineham Energy Recovery Incinerator site, when it becomes available.

Recommendation

That, subject to further background noise monitoring and the creation and maintenance of a website for environmental information to be publicly available, the Environmental Monitoring scheme submitted in accordance with Condition (26) of planning permission BDB 44300 be approved.

7659/PC