Looking to the future the county council remains committed to being open and honest with local residents around Four Ashes. I sincerely hope this ‘blog’ will play an important role in ensuring you have access to useful information.

If you have any questions about these proposals then please email comment@staffsprojectw2r.info. I will try to respond to the most frequently asked questions in future entries.

06/11/08 - Staffordshire obtains planning permission for Energy from Waste Facility

Staffordshire County Council has today received the go ahead to build an Energy from Waste facility in the south of the county. The planning committee came to an unanimous decision to back the facility that will generate enough energy for 24,000 homes, and this is estimated to save the taxpayer £7.5 million a year for the next 25 years. The planning application will be now referred to the government office of the West Midlands to be reviewed.

Today’s decision reflects Staffordshire’s commitment to reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill, maximising our recycling rates and using our residual waste to get the best package of benefits for the tax payer and the environment. Staffordshire County Council leader, John Taylor said the Planning Committee decision was good news for the people of Staffordshire. It means that Staffordshire will now contribute significantly towards the UK’s landfill reduction target and in tackling climate change too.

Staffordshire County Council will now move forward and work closing with the potential shortlisted developers proposing to operate the facility. We remain committed to continuing our open and honest approach with the public. Over the coming months we will keep local residents and other interested parties updated on the development of Project W2R and the specific proposals for Four Ashes.

Further updates will be posted in the next few weeks. In the meantime if you are specifically interested in what happens next please email.

Archived Blogs:

• October 2008 – Shortlist for Waste Facility Contract
• July 2008 – Local Traffic Update
• June 2008 - The Last Few Weeks
• May 2008 - Starting the Ball Rolling