HUNDREDS of people gathered in Portland to march in protest against plans for a new incinerator on the Dorset island.
Crowds gathered at Victoria Square around 10am on Saturday, October 16, where a small stage was set-up as organisers delivered several short speeches.
Organisers, Portland 4 the Planet, spoke to the crowd in addition to Brother Alasdair Kay from the All Saints Church, in Wyke Regis, and Portland Town Councillor Giovanna Lewis.
The protesters then marched up the hill chanting and banging drums on their way down to Portland Port where they looped around and returned to the square.
As reported, Powerfuel Portland wants to build a £100 million Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) at Portland Port which would burn up to 202,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste each year to convert to energy.
The company says the plant would use waste as a fuel to produce 15MW of energy for the National Grid, which is enough to power around 30,000 homes and provide shore power to Portland Port.
Read more: Swimming group against Portland incinerator plan
Prior to the speeches organisers provided a demonstration of where they believe smoke would be visible from up the hillside on Portland.
This shocked Nicola Charles, 54, who was protesting out of her concern for her and her family’s health.
She said: “I’ve lived here for 30 years and I intend to live here for the rest of my life. For me the kids said it today ‘save our lungs’.
“There have been demonstrations today to actually visualise the pollution and I just don’t want that for my kids, my grandkids or even myself.
“Other countries have stopped it and I’d like us to stop it.”
Read more: Protesters to march against plans for Portland incinerator today
Ms Charles added that she was ‘delighted’ to see so many people turn out, of all ages, and hopes Dorset Council vote against the incinerator in November.
Dr Graham Lambert, 69, and Weymouth Town Councillor for Weymouth East, shared similar concerns about the impact on future generations.
He said: “I'm really here because I'm concerned about my own children, my grandchild and all the other children and grandchildren in Portland and Weymouth and throughout the world quite frankly.
“If the government is serious about us moving towards net zero, as they say they are, then projects like this simply should not go ahead.
“There are plenty of other alternatives, green renewable alternatives, which would prevent this from having to happen.”
Cllr Lambert said it was a very good turnout having met people from across the island and Weymouth, as well as further afield from places like Bournemouth.
He hopes the protest draws attention to the proposals once again ahead of the planning decisions being taken by Dorset Council in November, calling on county councillors to ‘stop this enterprise in its tracks’.
Portland resident Steve Coggins, 55, also wants the protest to bring awareness to their cause and get further people on-board.
He said: “I think the UK’s got more than enough waste incinerators. It’s bad for the environment, it’s a no-brainer that it shouldn’t be here or anywhere.”
Concerns made during the opening speeches related to emissions from the plant and the fact other incinerators are not on hillsides, that waste could be brought in from abroad, heavy vehicles would be impacting traffic and the potential impact on tourism.
Powerfuel Portland states that the ERF will be one a new generation of waste facilities which will use the latest technologies and techniques to ‘safely’ and ‘efficiently’ produce low carbon energy from non-recyclable waste - as well as not treating hazardous or clinical waste.
However, organisers of the protest do not agree the new ERF would be safe for the residents as Portland Town councillor, Giovanna Lewis, ended the speeches by calling on the directors of Powerfuel Portland to ‘build this dirty thing where you live, clog up your roads’.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel