The chairman of a committee which gave planning permission to build an unpopular incinerator has urged campaigners to turn to Boris Johnson.
Moments before voting to give planning permission for an incinerator to be built on the Croydon/Sutton border , Councillor John Leach, chairman of
Sutton Council's development control committee told an angry audience the committee members found themselves "between a rock and a hard place" and suggested people appealed to the Mayor of London to block the decision.
Last night councillors on the committee voted five to two in favour of giving planning permission for an energy recovery facility, which would burn household rubbish from Sutton, Croydon, Kingston and Merton and convert it into gas and electricity, to be built in Beddington Lane.
The decision was unpopular among members of a several-hundred-strong audience but councillors told protesters they found themselves in a difficult position as they thought developers Viridor would be likely to win an appeal against any decision to refuse planning permission, costing the council millions in legal costs and lost mitigation.
Although planning permission has been granted, London Mayor Boris Johnson could still block the proposal as it falls in metropolitan open land - areas in the capital set aside for public use apart from where there is significant mitigation.
Members of the audience at last night's meeting
Just seconds before he voted to approve the planning permission, Coun Leach said: "We are between a rock and a hard place on this matter - we have heard if we refuse the application there will be an appeal.
"There is still the Mayor of London who has to give his permission for the use of metropolitan open land.
"You should organise a very, very major campaign to the mayor of London."
Campaigners against the incinerator fear the plant will bring extra traffic to the area and spew out harmful pollution - fears both developer Viridor and the council's planning officers dismissed.
A decision on the application was due to be made last month but the decision was deferred after councillors tied a vote.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article