Croydon’s Green Party Co-Coordinator Shasha Khan has achieved a crucial milestone in his fight to protect a 400 acre wildlife reserve from becoming the site of an incinerator.
Shasha Khan with Green Party MP for Brighton Caroline Lucas campaigning to stop the incinerator back in 2009.
Croydon Green Shasha Khan is pleased to announce that his claim for a judicial review on the decision to build an incinerator on Beddington Farmlands has been accepted. The trial date has been set for October 9th 2014 at Royal Courts of Justice at The Strand
The long running campaign to prevent an incinerator from being built in South London received a blow earlier this year when Sutton Council formally approved a planning application submitted by Viridor for an Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) on a 400 acre wildlife reserve called Beddington Farmlands.
Croydon and Sutton Green Parties have played a pivotal role campaigning against the incinerator since it was proposed in 2008. They argue that the UK has already been warned by the European Commission over its reliance on incineration instead of job-rich reuse and recycling, with 80 incinerators already earmarked for the UK. As incinerators need waste to feed stock to operate profitably, stagnation in recycling rates would be inevitable if the scheme went ahead. In addition, concerns have been raised that the plant will add to the cities air pollution. Currently over 4000 Londoners a year die prematurely due to air pollution, with London already in breach of the nitrous dioxide health regulations set by the EU.
Shasha Khan has also disputed evidence provided by Viridor to the Councillors approving the scheme. Contrary to the assertions of the proposers, evidence shows that the cost for piping means that the facility is extremely unlikely to provide any heating for the local area.
Speaking ahead of the trial, Shasha called for support on the day: “I urge as many supporters of the campaign to join us outside the High Court on the first morning of the trial.”