Appeal over rejected incinerator plan withdrawn

A company has withdrawn its appeal against the rejection of plans to build a medical waste incinerator next to a school.

A letter published alongside planning documents on Staffordshire County Council's planning portal said a hearing scheduled for 30 April had been cancelled.

Campaigners claimed the proposed development in Hixon, Staffordshire, could pose a health risk to children who attended St Peter's Primary School, which is next to the site.

The scheme had been opposed by locals as well as Staffordshire County Council.

Although members of Staffordshire County Council voted to reject the planning application in October, the final decision was due to be made by the government's planning inspectorate after an appeal was lodged by In Waste Ltd.

The appeal was made on the grounds of non-determination after a decision on the planning application, submitted in June 2024, was not made within the statutory time period.

The company said the incinerator would have been able to process about 3,500 tonnes of waste per year, including syringes, dressings, medicines, plastic tubing and anatomical waste.

The proposals would have supported about 20 jobs, the firm added.

Resident Amelia Garner said she was the mother of a child at the neighbouring school and said its playing field was about 80m (262 ft) from the proposed site, which she described as "not a safe distance".

"It is a direct exposure zone and this application places 230 children, some as young as two years old in the nursery, at daily risk," she said.

The applicants had said there was a national and regional need for the facility and that the nearest site was currently more than two hours away.

The firm previously told the BBC it had carried out environmental assessments and that emissions would remain within "acceptable limits".

Additional reporting by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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