Communities Take Control

ELF was contacted by Community R4C, a Community Benefit Society, set up in the wake of planning approval in 2015 for a local incinerator. The group had been campaigning since 2009 against Gloucestershire County Council’s plans to build an incinerator in their local area. When approval was granted and a judicial review of the decision by Stroud District Council was unsuccessful, they decided to take a different tack.

Instead of fighting the County Council they decided to propose their own better, cheaper and cleaner Resource Recovery, Recycling and Refining Centre, and undermine the incinerator through “market forces”.

This plant would take the waste processed to a higher level of waste management, with 90% of waste recycled. The proposed plant would cost between £15-22m to build, compared with around £200m for the incinerator and their process will retrieve around 25% recyclates from black bag waste and produce a clean renewable pelletised biofuel. The plant, once up and running, would give Community R4C a share of the profits up to £250k per year to support other circular economy projects.

The group approached us concerning issues of procurement. Although this is not an area of the law that ELF sees very often we are pleased to say that Duncan Sinclair at 39 Essex Chambers has agreed to assist the group.

ELF is delighted to help this group. To see such positive action come out of a locally environmentally damaging decision, reminds of us why ELF works hard to help communities across the country to protect the environment and quality of life of current and future generations.