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WASTE COMPANY RE-THINKS RED MOSS SUPERTIP

27 September 1996

Waste giant UK Waste is frantically back-peddling on its plans to put a 25-metre-high mountain of rubbish on one of the nation's most important wildlife sites - Red Moss Site of Special Scientific Interest near Horwich, Greater Manchester [1].

UK Waste and its parent company, Wessex Water have stated in a letter to Friends of the Earth that they are set to completely "review" the proposal [2]. Only six weeks ago UK Waste extended the misery of the people of Horwich by presenting last minute 'information'to Bolton Council's planning committee which led to the committee's decision on the application being defered.

The company had claimed that it was legally obliged under a contract with Bolton Metropolitan Council to put in the application. However the council has now stated that:"nothing in that contract will affect the planning application under consideration by the Council as a Local Planning Authority" [3]. The Council has refused to show campaigners the contract despite the fact that it is in the name of the people of Bolton and on a site owned by the people of Bolton.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] According to English Nature, the Government's wildlife watchdog, the Red Moss landraise scheme will entirely destroy the wildlife on Red Moss SSSI. The SSSI is a rare lowland bog with an unrivalled flora of sphagnum mosses.

[2] Colin Skellet, Chief Executive of Wessex Water stated in the letter to Friends of the Earth dated 23 September: "I have agreed with our partners in UK Waste that there should be a complete review of the proposals at Red Moss. We will be talking to Bolton Council about this review."

[3] Letter to Friends of the Earth from the Legal Services department of Bolton Metropolitan Council, dated 23 September.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust

Last modified: Sep 2008