COMMUNITY groups have penned a joint letter to Cumbria County Council to raise concerns of what they feel is a conflict of interest regarding waste-related planning applications.

The letter calls on the council to ensure planning decisions on waste-related proposals are 'fair, unbiased, truly maximise waste reduction and recycling and are consistent with the council's climate goals' - highlighting the council's proposal to grant retrospective permission to its own company (but run by an independent board of directors), Cumbria Waste Management (CWM) Limited, for the plant to make incinerator fuel from waste at Hespin Wood.

The retrospective permission comes after CWM applied to add a water tank to the original planning consent under a minor amendment application, with Cumbria County Council ultimately deferring the decision.

Carlisle Residents Against Incinerator (CRAIN) spokesperson David Mudge said: "It still isn't clear on the council's planning website that the council intends to grant itself retrospective permission for a Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) plant on the back of an application for a water tank.

"People aren't aware of the council's intentions to grant itself retrospective permission for the whole plant.

READ MORE: Cumbria County Council admit 'error' for incinerator plans at Carlisle's Kingmoor Park

"This proposal shouldn't be permitted anywhere but especially not at Hespin Wood. The council itself withdrew Hespin Wood site from the list of locations suitable for new waste developments. The location doesn't meet the council's own criteria yet now the council somehow considers Hespin Wood to be a suitable location. It is not, the council is grasping at straws to justify the unjustifiable," he said.

Similarly, the letter claims that the council should have published its review of the Cumbria Minerals and Waste Local Plan before September 6, and calls on the council to ensure its 'policies reflect current needs including waste reduction targets and biodiversity, climate and air quality emergencies'.

Henry Goodwin, of Sustainable Carlisle, said: "The technology now exists to extract many different types of recyclable plastics from waste. This RDF proposal would result in materials that could be recycled being incinerated.

"The proposal is outdated, backward-looking and it would harm the circular economy.

"We need a thorough review and update of the Cumbria Minerals and Waste Plan to bring it in line with new technology and the urgency of the problem."

The Rockcliffe Parish Council have also said there is a 'potential of diverting waste destined for recycling to be burnt' and considers the plans 'not sustainable'.

Cumbria County Council have been approached for comment. 

READ MORE: Council slammed for plans to give retrospective permission for incinerator fuel plant