Almost 100 people held a protest today against plans to build a new incinerator at Buttington Quarry near Trewern.

Villagers fear fumes from the incinerator, which will burn up to 167,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste each year, will cause health problems for children and residents.

Protest organiser David Morrell, from the Buttington Incinerator Impact Group, said: "Seems to us to be a really crazy idea to place an incinerator right next to a primary school where children’s health will be badly affected.

“Most of the waste will come from industrial areas like Birmingham. This waste will be travelling long distances and that will cause further environmental damage.

County Times: Local resident Ian Sanders at the protest on Friday. Pic: Anwen ParryLocal resident Ian Sanders at the protest on Friday. Pic: Anwen Parry

“Why would you bring waste from Birmingham to a little village in mid Wales and then burn it and take all the ashes back again? It just doesn’t make any sense to us.”

Mum Ashley Kenyon said the development would be "dangerous and horrendous", while Corinne Rowley described the proposals as a "stupid idea". "It's a ridiculous place to have it," she added.

Local representatives from the Labour Party, Green Party, and Conservative Party joined the demo outside Buttington Trewern CP School on Friday afternoon (October 16).

Montgomeryshire MP Craig Williams, who also attended the demo, said: “The key is that views are heard, and I’ve heard it loud and clear today that people around Buttington, Trewern and Welshpool are very, very concerned about this incinerator and we need to take that fight forward now.”

County Times: Cllr Amanda Jenner and Craig Williams MP. Pic: Anwen ParryCllr Amanda Jenner and Craig Williams MP. Pic: Anwen Parry

County councillor for Buttington, Trewern and Middletown Amanda Jenner said the proposed development will be built close to the "heart of a thriving community".

She said: "You can see by the amount of people that you see here today that they feel very passionate about this.

"There is a thriving primary school that has exceptional staff, a lovely community centre, a football ground and a playground and people feel very concerned that the incinerator is going to be less than a mile away."

Opposition groups who do not want the incinerator have raised concerns over the timing of the consultation into plans, citing the global pandemic as being too obstructive to be able to hold a full consultation that takes into account the views of all of the local community.

A petition started by Cllr Jenner calling for a moratorium on new waste incinerators has so far been signed by just over 650 people.

Broad Energy is currently consulting with the public about its plans to build the incinerator.

Chief executive Alistair Hilditch-Brown said: "Due to the nature of the planning process that we've entered into and the specific deadlines we have to meet, it was not possible to delay the public consultation."