Green energy group pulls out of climate summit over council planning delays
A pioneering eco-initiative aiming to deliver low-cost energy and affordable food to Wiltshire communities has pulled out of the county's upcoming Climate and Environment Summit in protest over prolonged planning delays.
Sustain Wiltshire, which hopes to transform a landfill site on Brinkworth Road, Royal Wootton Bassett, into a waste-powered hub producing heat, electricity and crops, said on Wednesday it would not attend the Wiltshire Council-run summit scheduled for Thursday and Friday, June 20–21.
The decision follows what the group described as nearly a year of frustrating hold-ups by the council in determining planning permission for the project, known as the Super-Midden.
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The application was submitted in July 2024. Since then, the organisation says it received validation only in February following a six-month wait, with just two site visits taking place in early summer.
Despite being told a decision would be made on June 11, Sustain Wiltshire said that instead, the council posed 31 new questions and revealed that a failure to consult National Highways had triggered a last-minute objection from the agency.
With the planning team now saying it will need at least 16 weeks to review the responses and possibly a further six months to address National Highways' concerns, Sustain Wiltshire said it could not, in good conscience, support the summit while its flagship project remained 'in doubt'.
Nick Ash, director of both Sustain Wiltshire and Crapper and Sons Landfill Ltd, said: 'From our public consultations in 2023 through to last week we had not received a single voice of opposition to the Super-Midden. It is widely regarded as a progressive and innovative solution to the issue of landfill which is capable of removing over 3,800 tonnes of CO2 per year, at the same time as generating sufficient heat and energy to produce affordable fruit and vegetables to meet 80% of the needs of Royal Wootton Bassett, Malmesbury, Purton and Brinkworth.
'Now, at five minutes to midnight, we are faced with further questions, most of which have been addressed in our previous submissions, and a formal objection from the National Highways that could have been addressed months ago if the planning team at Wiltshire Council had done their job.
'That is why we have taken the decision to withdraw from Wiltshire Council's Climate and Environment Summit, where we were due to take part in the Circular Resources panel session focusing on 'Promoting a Low-Waste Culture and Local Share Economy.'
'Sadly, we see no way of being able to participate in an event run by a council that appears to be blocking the very innovations and initiatives that they are looking to celebrate at their summit. By taking this action and boycotting the event by mutual agreement – rather than raising these issues at the conference – we hope to draw attention to the damage being caused by outdated bureaucracy; without detracting from the important messages being addressed at the summit.'
Nick added that the group is urging Wiltshire Council to fast-track the application, warning that if not, it will appeal to the Planning Directorate for non-determination and consider legal action for compensation.
Responding to the decision, councillor Paul Sample JP, cabinet member for environment, climate and waste, said: 'We are disappointed to learn of Sustain Wiltshire's decision to not attend the Climate and Environment Summit this weekend. It is a shame that they do not wish to engage in the event which is completely separate to the planning process and will celebrate businesses working towards carbon neutrality and share best practice and approaches to accelerate their progress towards net zero.
'It would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing planning application, but the council has a duty to assess the submitted proposals and take into account comments received from internal and external consultees. The council remains keen to work positively with Sustain Wiltshire to resolve the outstanding issues.'
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