HAMPSHIRE County Council published its formal notice confirming the decision to refuse Veolia’s application for a waste incinerator near Alton on Wednesday last week.

It means if Veolia decides to appeal the decision, it must do so within six months of the date of this notice being issued, on March 9.

The county council’s regulatory committee voted 12 to three against the application after a gruelling six-hour debate on February 23. The decision notice states that it is considered that the proposal:

ν Would result in significant adverse impact on the character of the area, the wider landscape and the visual amenity contrary to Policies 10 (Protecting public, health, safety and amenity) and 13 (High quality design of minerals and waste management development) of the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan (2013), and Paragraphs 130, 174, 176 and 177 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021); and

ν Does not demonstrate a special need for its location and the suitability of the site cannot be adequately justified and therefore is contrary to Policies 27 (Capacity for waste management development) and 29 (Locations and sites for waste management development) of the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan (2013).

A spokesman for the No Wey Incinerator action group said it is prepared for an appeal and “will continue to oppose any attempt to overturn this decision most vigorously”.

They added: “We are grateful for all the messages of thanks we have received since the regulatory committee voted on February 23 and thank all our supporters for their continuing support.”