13th May 2009 Update. The Public Planning Inquiry to consider the Rivenhall Airfield waste site application will start on Tuesday 29th September, and the Inquiry is expected to sit for 3 weeks, from Tuesday to Friday each week. The planning application for a regional waste site, including a waste incinerator, was "called in" by the Secretary of State for a Public Planning Inquiry, taking away from Essex County Council the ability to decide the matter after the County Council tried to grant consent in April. The venue is not confirmed yet but looks like it could be The Institute, Bocking End, Braintree, after attempts to get a venue in Silver End fell through. At the last major inquiry into waste plans for the Airfield in 1995, there was strong attendance from local residents and there were two local campaign groups, RATS and SCARRED. This time round there is a single group, called "The Community Group" which is an umbrella for lots of local organisations, including CPREssex, Stop the Incinerator and local heritage societies and countryside groups. The Community Group is meeting weekly and is working hard to get ready for the Inquiry, including fundraising, setting up a web site, preparing the appeal documents and carrying out research. The Community Group is also looking for residents who may be able to help in giving evidence to the inquiry and helping to prepare proofs of evidence where they have relevant qualifications. The areas the Group is hoping to get help with are Highways, Ecology, Historic Buildings, Water, Landscape, Noise, Meteorology, Air Quality and Countryside. If you have a relevant qualification in any of these areas and would like to help, please get in touch. The Community Group would of course welcome any other assistance local residents can offer in the lead up to the Inquiry and during the Inquiry itself. There will also be a "Local Council Group" opposing the waste site plans, which will comprise Braintree District Council and the Parish Councils representing local villages. Later this month, each of the Main Parties to the Inquiry must submit a brief Statement of Case outlining the main issues they would like to see discussed. In August, there will be a lot of work to do in preparing full Proofs of Evidence. The Community Group is hoping to have legal representation at the Inquiry. Since the last update, we have heard that Essex County Council has abandoned it previous Private Finance Initiative (PFI) bid and is submitting a new one. This was done without public consultation or explanation. However, it appears to be good news. The former PFI bid included an Outline Business Case (OBC), which modelled the major waste site and incinerator at Rivenhall Airfield, which the applicants seized upon. The new PFI no longer does so and only includes Basildon as a major site (although obviously thats no consolation to residents there). This change does not mean the battle is over - far from it - the planning process must still be worked though, with hopefully the application being rejected after the Inquiry. But the change in the PFi is significant, and enquiries are underway as to why Essex CC made such a major shift away from the Rivenhall site - could it be they are backing off in the face of concerted local community campaigning ? For further information, please contact James Abbott 01376 584576 07951 923073 more.... | 
I have recently moved to Bradwell Bri...