I want to start this update with the positive and then have a rant about some of the delays and bureaucratic nonsense that is starting to impact the Super-Midden development.
On a positive note, we are nearing completion of the corporate re-organisation that will enable the operation of the Community Interest Company. We have also commenced detailed design work on the Super-Midden, and hope to construct the first two fast-reacting cells next spring.
The gas engine has had its best month so far, and we have appointed a new manager to combine the gas management and power production. Ryan, supported by Phil, have worked hard and are starting to see positive results in terms of gas stability and enhanced odour management.
Now for the frustrations:
Wiltshire Council Planning delays
We submitted our full application in July and paid the associated £90,000 fee. Initially, we had queries that were answered immediately. This was followed by a long period of chasing which eventually resulted in a request for a more detailed landscaping plan that will be submitted next week.
Five months on and £90,000 pounds paid over to Wiltshire Council, and the application has still not been formally logged.
Environment Agency (EA) hurdles
Compounding our frustrations, the EA Enhanced Pre-application for the Super-Midden has now been submitted for over a month, yet we have had no response or letter of acknowledgment.
The EA Permit variation to the landfill permit for the gas engine was applied for and the fee paid over a year ago. To date, although a draft permit has been issued that we are fully compliant with, the permit itself has not been issued.
The reason for this is that the EA financial team have decided to review what is known as the Financial Provision. This is a sum of money that we keep in an Escrow account to enable the EA to make the landfill safe should the business become bankrupt. Currently this stands at £1 million pounds. The officer dealing with our case has informed us that this should be increased to £1.4 million, which is frustrating, given that the gas engine produces income and the terms of the current permit for the landfill are almost complete.
In our view, the officer has failed to apply the correct regulations. As a result, we will have no choice but to employ a consultant to carry out the calculations and appeal the decision!
Had we waited for the permit to be in place, this would have added another six-month delay to the operation of the gas engine, resulting in the continued flaring of methane on site, releasing 1,900 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. How could this be in the interest of anyone?
But this is not the end of backward logic…
The perverse nature of things is that you can register a normal limited company in hours. However, to register a Community Interest Company you have to send forms to a separate regulator. Our application was made over a month ago and still no response has been received.
So, what is painfully clear is that is harder to share profits with your community than it is for a shareholder to keep it all. How can this be right?
Sadly, the case for Sustainable Anarchy as a tool to deliver the change that the planet and our community so badly needs only grows stronger.
Until next time…
Nick Ash
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