South West Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt is celebrating the latest news that SITA have decided not to resubmit the planning application for an in-vessel composter at their site in Runfold. The original plans proposed the largest IVC in Europe and there were serious concerns over the health and environmental implications of such a construction. Jeremy had been working closely with local campaigners to oppose the plans. He held meetings with SITA and demanded answers from the company on subjects he felt were not supported with sufficient evidence. Last summer he pressed SITA for answers about the potential effects of bio-aerosols on human health, asked how they could prove that the IVC would actually be temporary and sought clarification on the exact increase in HGV traffic movements on the local roads. Their answers did little to allay his fears and he was pleased in August when SITA eventually withdrew their application and stated that they would resubmit plans in the New Year after seeking clarification from new Environment Agency guidelines. The latest announcement that these plans will not be resubmitted is fantastic news for Runfold campaigners and local residents.
Jeremy said: “This just proves how important local campaigning can be. SITA clearly had not thought through these proposals: how they might impact on neighbouring properties and a local school and how increased HGV movements might impact on local roads. For me the biggest concern was the use of bio-aerosols. SITA could not prove that these would not have serious effects on human health and for that reason alone it is clear the IVC should not have gone ahead on the scale they were proposing. I want to Congratulate the Runfold campaigners who quite rightly kept up the pressure on SITA and held them to account”.