Council to ask for new road to mitigate alternative energy facility plans

Boston Borough Council will demand a new road if they are to fully support plans for a new energy plant in the town.

Members of a scrutiny committee last night examined their consultation response, which will call for more detail on the plans for the Boston Alternative Energy Facility, including a traffic management plan.

Councillor Alison Austin, ward and county member, disagreed with aspects of the plan which could see waste from South Holland and North Kesteven brought in to the Riverside Industrial Estate via Marsh Lane.

“To start bringing in waste from South Holland and Kesteven? No, that is not fair to residents who live in, that entrance area to Marsh Lane that they should then have loads and loads and loads of extra refuse lorries coming that were not part of the application,” she said.

A scrutiny committee last night looked into the issues.

She also wanted clarity over the route that construction vehicles took to the site asking them to go via the A17-A16 rather than the A52.

However, she praised the developers for their work consulting with residents and councillors.

Council officer Michelle Sacks, however, said the council needed to see a traffic management plan for “what could eventually be a four-year construction process”.

She raised the potential of a haul road being developed as part of the construction process, which, it was suggested, could be requested to become an actual road which could be adopted at a later stage.

Plans showing some of the key sites around the new alternative energy site.

She said this if the costs could be confirmed and approved and the above happen it could alleviate concerns of the Marsh Lane residents and minimise traffic, as well as create new infrastructure for the industrial estate.

Councillors agreed that if the above could be done, they would be able to fully support the plans.

The councils response asks for more information on things like pollution, noise and employment. They are also calling for the August 6 deadline for feedback to be extended.

The council is also going to include a third section in its response letter where it will include concerns raised by residents about the plans.

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