Keighley's anti waste to energy plant campaigners confirm plans for new appeal against the proposals

The plans for the site off the Aire Valley Bypass have already been approved by Bradford Council.

And an attempt by Aire Valley Against Incineration (AVAI) to strike down this approval for the company Endless Energy Ltd, via a Judicial Review, failed early this year.

But an AVAI spokesman said: “After taking further legal advice, the wheels have been set in motion to apply for permission to appeal on the ground of harm to the National Trust owned Grade I listed East Riddlesden Hall.

“We’ll inform people of the outcome and whether permission to appeal has been granted as soon as we can.

“Whatever the outcome of that appeal, there’s also the matter of contesting the environmental permit application which Endless Energy have to make to the Environment Agency before they can run the incinerator.

“We’re hard at work preparing for this and to demonstrate that the harmful air emissions are unacceptable to our communities and the sensitive natural environment around us.”

He added that AVAI is continuing to raise money to fund its ongoing campaign.

The group has also urged people to back a new online petition on the UK Government and Parliament website.

The petition calls for an end to the incineration of any waste which could be recycled.

And it states: “We want legislation to stop waste of material resources, and waste reduction, reuse and recycling to be made absolute top priority in law.”

Meanwhile, opposition to Endless Energy’s plans in Keighley has sparked a war of words between Shipley MP Philip Davies and the Labour Party.

Mr Davies criticised a Labour leaflet which objects to the waste to energy burner. He pointed out that it was “Labour-run Bradford Council” which had given its approval to the scheme.

The leaflet, featuring Vick Jenkins, who is standing for the Shipley ward in the May council elections says Labour will “continue to oppose” the incinerator.

Mr Davies said: “I find it astonishing that someone wanting to stand to be a Labour councillor in a Shipley ward is putting out material that says local Labour councillors will continue to fight the plans, when Labour’s councillor for Windhill and Wrose is Susan Hinchcliffe, who’s also council leader.

“You couldn’t make this up. Either Labour are deliberately trying to mislead voters, or Shipley Labour Party have in effect airbrushed Cllr Hinchcliffe from the Shipley Labour Party, even though she’s leader of Bradford Council and a Shipley Constituency councillor.”

Mr Davies noted that he is himself formally objecting to the planning permission being given to the incinerator.

Jo Pike, Labour parliamentary candidate for Shipley, responded: “I find it astonishing that Philip Davies doesn’t know how the planning process works.

“Surely he’s aware the planning committee includes all political parties? Some of his own colleagues supported the incinerator and some Labour councillors did not.

“Labour members will be out across the constituency taking part in conservation activities, tree planting and litter picking. Mr Davies is welcome to join us if he doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty.

Joe Wheatley, chairman of Shipley Constituency Labour Party, said: “It’s an issue I personally feel very strongly about.

“Although I accept councillors of all parties had to act within planning law when it came to the decision at the planning committee, I’ll nevertheless be making strong representations to the Environment Agency that the incinerator is not right for the area. I’ll never flinch from raising residents’ concerns.”