Forum topic: Call to action to protect a local nature conservation site

Haringey’s Regulation Committee met last evening (see posting of 17th) and after a vote decided to recommend to Cabinet the exclusion of Pinkham Way from the draft North London Waste Plan (NLWP). Haringey Cabinet will make the final decision on approving the draft NLWP as it stands, for that borough. This represents a very positive step for common sense and the PWA; a surprising decision given the (long) history but surely correct given the facts.

PWA’s Chair made a short deputation, answered by a senior officer, before receiving councillor questions, after which councillors asked the officers questions before a vote and agreeing to recommend refusing the inclusion of Pinkham Way.

We heard how refusing could delay the “urgent” NLWP, now over a decade late, countered by pointing out that more haste would have been achieved long since by excluding the site; how the borough had to put the site through to the NLWP because the landowner (North London Waste Authority – NLWA) had suggested it in the NLWP’s call for sites - the only such site in all of north London - yet neglected to mention the plan’s site sifting process which gave every opportunity to stop it; how, because it was designated Employment land, they had to put it forward to the plan (It is unique in the UK as a Grade 1 Site of Importance for Nature Conservation as well as Employment, something a Planning Inspector had earlier surfaced as an effective bar to the boroughs intent for Pinkham Way) but not that Employment land is specifically not designated for waste site use in the London Plan, nor that the area is not a priority employment zone for the borough; how the site is environmentally rich, carrying protection at all levels of the national planning hierarchy; and more.

Councillor questions to officers tended to focus on the why on earth destroy such a habitat for waste use, particularly when no one can explain what that waste would be, or if the land was actually required for waste and just what the benefit to the borough would be if so; plus that developing over existing trees and other green risks undermining such borough key themes as climate change mitigation, flood alleviation and air quality. Asking just why the land was bought in the first place to cause this long running saga received an airing, as did the immense and ongoing cost of the exercise on top of the uber premium price paid in the first place.

Enfield’s own cabinet will shortly deliberate to agree, or not, the draft NLWP as currently presented to go forward for public consultation in early 2019. Smart money would suggest the chances of the Planning Inspector agreeing the need for Pinkham Way and its inclusion as fitting with all manner of planning requirements and policies when it comes to inquiry to be effectively nil .

This one is long since well past the emperor having no clothes; rather the emperor appears to be running around naked with their arms in the air blowing raspberries in all directions. Enfield cabinet could do north London a favour and put him out of his misery when they come to discuss the approval of the draft NLWP Reg19 next month.

With their Cabinet not following the recommendation of their own Regulatory Committee to remove the Pinkham Way site from the North London Waste Plan, this saga rolls on and on: from the original secret deal between two public bodies to buy the land – and the liability curiously missing from the audited accounts – later taking in the new build at Edmonton, over 50% larger than the current incinerator and with plans to import waste from as far away as Oxford and Colchester to feed it - to the current position of a desire to build a waste plant on a protected site, one listed as being of London wide importance. What could there possibly be to challenge in such mire?
The latest stage of watching Councillors squirm about in the face of evidence will be at Haringey Civic Centre this Thursday starting at 7. Indications are that such is the level of disquiet that the party in power will be whipped in their vote.
If they succeed in this hurdle then its straight on and into the R19 consultation on the North London Waste Plan and the very real expectation that a couple of years down the line when it’s all put in front of the Independent Inspector that it’s thrown out having wasted however much money and time in the interim. Pinkham Way directly linked sunk costs so far exceed £100million (£100,000,000), that’s before staff costs, diverted resources, community time and more. You’re paying it back now as you read this, have been for several years and will be for many more years to come. But that’s a story for another time.
Thursday 7pm – 20 minute’s walk down Green Lanes from the Triangle this side of Wood Green centre, or a short bus ride. Haringey Civic Centre, High Road, N22 8ZW. Better than TV.

“The second biggest incinerator in Western Europe”, that’s what the council leader said last evening had been planned (and this represented news to PWA), whereas now it is apparently “only” three smaller waste plants, of which he was able to give rather detailed sizing’s and function, despite no plans apparently being in place. This all being built on a site that had been termed a “Strategic Asset” until it was pointed out that implied there was a strategy for it. Accounts now show it merely as land.

But it is environmentally protected land and we heard that merely cleaning of it for development would cost £15m per hectare (there are roughly 6 hectares involved). We heard how building on it would conflict with national Labour party policy and the boroughs Local Plan. We heard how the 90+ hectares of industrial land identified to cover the (very maximum) 7h capacity gap was not enough and without Pinkham Way the whole waste plan would collapse, thereafter requiring Brexit style negotiations between various boroughs. Yes, at long last Brexit made it to the Pinkham Way argument! But why an evidence driven waste plan involves horse trading between boroughs was not expanded on.

A very large number of those Labour members who weren’t otherwise engaged to avoid embarrassment, and were therefore in the chamber, enthusiastically clapped the ending of the PWA deputation and then got a very obvious evil eye from the whip and showed what our proud democracy is all about, sticking their hands up to unnecessarily concrete over a Site of Nature Conservation despite all the evidence and policy against.

There’s lots more and the Inspector will doubtless throw it out in a couple of years time, but until then yet more resources to add to the nine figures already thrown down this big black hole. Wonder where funding for your child’s books have gone, for children’s and youth centres, social care and more? There’s £100,000, 000 (and still counting) if you look into this particular money pit.

The 15 thick bound reports for the North London Waste Plan’s latest round of consultation have just landed – 6 weeks long it is and starts tomorrow. If anyone doesn’t want to read through that lot (also available online) and comment sensibly then it could be time to join the Pinkham Way Alliance (for free!).

You might think that having 55% surplus capacity in north London for our waste would be ample, but via a clever series of trickery (some justifiable I would suggest) it’s not, and not by a long way apparently. So sit on our hands and as well as paying back tens of millions of pounds of already linked wasted cash via our rates (better uses anyone?) we can look forward to the potential of hazardous waste and / or a composting plant and / or a integrated resource / recovery facility / resource park on the Grade 1 Site of Importance for Nature Conservation about a mile away from Broomfield Park.

The whole episode will make an excellent documentary when it’s all over.