More Waste Planned for Beddington?

We three Councillors in Beddington have our email inboxes filling up with comments from worried residents about the planned SUEZ Anaerobic Digester that is being presented at the Planning Committee on 2nd April – worried because the Council’s Planning Department are recommending its approval.

Designed to process 100,000 tonnes of food waste from all over London people are concerned on many levels – that is a load more lorries on Beddington Lane and the HGV ban promised in 2019 is like so many promises from this Council it remains a pipe dream. And unless they keep the place spotless, the vermin will be back and of course, the smell!!

But with people of Beddington and Hackbridge already with health risks under the Lib Dem imposed incinerator with its high sulphur fuel and regular breakdowns, many are worried about what they see as a clear and present danger.

This is an image from October 2023 when lightning hit a methane tank at the Severn Trent Green Power Plant at Cassington in Oxfordshire. The sky was lit by the explosion and six fire engines and 40 firefighters were required to bring it under control.

When you look at the location of the explosion, it is in a rural area with few houses. What is worrying Beddington and Hackbridge residents is that the SUEZ proposal is not rural – there are houses in both wards and neighbouring Croydon as well as two local primary schools.

If you look at the image on the map, the same gas tanks can be seen as are on the image of the proposed SUEZ plant. Lightning is a natural phenomenon and it could happen here and that worries people – a lot!

The Planning Committee will be on Wednesday 2nd April at 7.00pm in the Civic Centre in Sutton and we would encourage people to attend to add their voices to other people in Beddington and Hackbridge who are telling their Councillors – enough is enough!