PLANS to build a Pyrolysis plant at the Waterloo Industrial Estate in Pembroke Dock were unanimously refused by Pembrokeshire County Council. On Tuesday (Dec 15), the Planning and Rights of Way Committee met to discuss the application from Barcud Energy Ltd, a firm based in Cardiff. The unit would be used to generate syngas by thermally treating feedstock comprised of oily sludge and filter cake that is generated by oil refineries.

However, concerns were raised about the size of the plant and the possible emissions from it. Pembroke Dock Llanion Councillor Sue Perkins said: “Because of the strong feeling the whole town of Pembroke Dock, I feel I must put forward the views of my constituents. “I’m delighted that the application before you is for refusal and I ask you to support the officer’s recommendation. “The fuel oily sludge is a very dirty fuel containing high concentrations of hazardous constituents including heavy metals and naturally occurring radioactive material that may be resilient to combustion. “How could anyone think it’s a particularly good idea to build a pyrolysis incinerator producing oily sludge in an area that floods, in an entry to a town, close to people’s homes, a large council estate along the side of the Cleddau?

“We’ve been told by the applicant there will be no pollution and no odour but we were told this before. Pembroke Dock has had its fair share of both over the years. We all know that we cannot control the weather nor human error and in the high winds experienced on the site of the height of the Cleddau, no one can guarantee that the smog, smoke and pollution will not come to the town nor further up the river in areas like Cosheston and in fact Carew.

“If there is a need for such a facility, as our officers have said, in Pembrokeshire, which I personally doubt, there are already designated areas where there is already a power station and a refinery. If this plant is built close to both of these facilities it would stop the need for transporting this oily sludge in lorries, around Pembroke, on the A477 which is an already busy road. “The application in my mind makes no sense at all and I just want to say that we have an obligation to our towns who speak long and hard about making our towns more important and more accessible to the visitors and Pembroke Dock always seems like a poor relation but Pembroke Dock has a huge amount to offer; it has the Cleddau, it has historical buildings, it has a huge amount of facilities and once again I think as a town we feel that having something like this on our doorstep would absolutely destroy everything that we would like to see in our future.”

Speaking on behalf of Pembroke Dock Town Council, Councillor Alison Lee said: “If you grant this application, this will become the first thing people will see when they drive into Pembroke Dock. They will see two large massive buildings with a 40 metre stack instead of the waterway, boats and the countryside. “This structure will be visible for a much larger area than suggested by the applicant. It is stated by the landscape officer that the visual impact for some people such as the water sports centre is significant.

“The applicant points out that the mass of the building actually screens other areas in the industrial estate, which in my opinion, just highlights how large and obtrusive this structure will be. “The applicant states that there is a need for a pyrolysis unit in Pembroke Dock and refineries in Pembrokeshire and it has been suggested that the unit would secure jobs at the refinery. This is untrue, there is one refinery in Pembrokeshire and it’s been confirmed that refusal of this application would have no impact on the refinery or any jobs there. “Pembroke Dock already has unresolved issues with a waste management site in the town; it really doesn’t need another one.”

John Hubbard, a long term resident in the area, said: “The Waterloo site is inappropriate for a plant of this nature for a number of reasons which include; it’s within the town limits, numerous people live nearby, the wastes are defined as hazardous, emissions from the chimney are at a low level, it’s alongside scenic waterway and the building is so large it will be seen from numerous locations around it. “We are very concerned at the nature and scale of this operation processing hazardous wastes and the emissions it will create on our very doorstep. The visual impact of the proposal is very intrusive on the landscape and is out of keeping with other buildings in the location.”

Cllr Brian Hall moved the recommendation for refusal and added: “If you look at the gate they are proposing and the entrance that is proposed, that will not take a petrol tanker type lorry. “The vehicle movements around the Waterloo roundabout at the end of the trunk road is approximately on a busy day 22,000 vehicle movements and in the last meeting we had the approval for Aldi and the traffic going into the industrial estate is going to be unbelievable when the Aldi opens, on top of the new bus station that has been approved for Silcox. “That will not generate enough work to make that business, in my opinion, viable. Cllr Tony Wilcox added: “It’s all about location, this is the wrong one, it’s not viable and I will gladly second the recommendation.” When it was put to a vote the plans were refused unanimously.