More than 1,000 residents have now objected to plans to build an asphalt plant next to the Allerton waste incinerator, between Knaresborough and Boroughbridge.
Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, joined about 100 campaigners fighting the proposal at Marton cum Grafton village hall on Saturday.
Mr Jones told the meeting organised by Communities Against Toxins he too was against the proposal, adding:
“The reasons are two-fold and to do with both head and heart. The heart brings the community together to show this is not welcome, and the head tells you that the dangers of pollution – both air pollution and water pollution – are major risks.
“Campaigners have done an incredible job marshalling the arguments and I hope when councillors come to consider the application they act on these concerns and turn the application down.
“This is the wrong idea in the wrong location.”
Campaign organiser Michael Emsley (left) talks to Andrew Jones.
Campaigners at the meeting.
Tynedale Roadstone Ltd plans to build the asphalt plant at the Allerton Waste Recovery Park.
A 22.5-metre exhaust stack would emit fumes containing carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and lead.
The group fears people living within a three-to-nine kilometre radius of the site would be affected by potentially harmful pollutants.
Communities Against Toxins organiser Michael Emsley wants to put pressure on North Yorkshire Council to scrutinise the proposal’s environmental impacts assessment.
He said:
“We do not believe this plant should be built in this location and we will continue to do all that we can to fight it.
“We will not stop. We will make sure that when North Yorkshire Council sit down to make its decision, they are in no doubt as to what the local communities think and that our concerns regarding the EIA have been addressed.”
Read more:
- Campaign launched against asphalt plant proposal near Knaresborough
- Briggate roadworks likely to last ‘several months’ in Knaresborough
