FARNHAM will suffer a “significant” increase in HGV traffic if Veolia’s planning application for an incinerator near Alton is allowed to go ahead, an action group has warned.

Chris Butler, a spokesman for the No Wey Incinerator campaign and himself a Farnham resident, said: “Details of Veolia’s traffic assessment in the planning application, show that 48 per cent of the HGV traffic associated with the development is assumed to come down the A31 from the Farnham direction.

“This means that Farnham will be subjected to 100 HGV movements every day if this 24/7 facility goes ahead.

“We believe Veolia have avoided stating the facts about the impact of additional traffic on Farnham. Their transportation assessment shows that they have only considered the stretch of the A31 between the Alton roundabout and Isington.

“There appears to be no consideration of the full impact on the Coxbridge roundabout nor the Shepherd and Flock, or the subsequent implications in terms of congestion and pollution for the whole surrounding area.

“An incinerator like this is expected to last up to 40 years. So if this goes ahead, Farnham residents will suffer the consequences for much of their lifetime.

“We are urging everyone to OBJECT NOW to ensure our towns aren’t subjected to the incineration of commercial and industrial waste which will mostly come from miles away.”

George Hesse, a Farnham Residents’ town councillor, added: “This would be disastrous even without adding the additional volume of traffic that new housing development will inevitably bring.

“We seriously need a top level joint traffic analysis by Surrey and Hampshire county councils to consider all these elements.

“Hampshire must not consider determining this proposal until this has been done and all consultees are satisfied that the effects will be properly addressed.”

Links to the application and guidance on valid planning objections can be found online at www.noweyincinerator.com

East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds also joined those objecting to Veolia’s plans this week, commenting: “For this kind of facility, I believe there must be more suitable locations than here.”

But responding to the criticism, chief technology and innovation officer at Veolia UK and Ireland, Richard Kirkman, said: “The proposed Advanced Energy Recovery Facility near Alton will generate low carbon electricity by processing non recyclable waste that would otherwise go to landfill.

“By using the latest green technology, the plant will be 30 per cent more efficient than similar facilities and will save the equivalent of 65,000 tons of CO2 emissions per annum, as well as contributing around £3.26m to the local economy.

“Traffic will not be impacted as the facility will add only 44 loads per day to the A31 – a road that already carries over 18,000 vehicles per day.

“For accurate information on the proposal we encourage people to read the application documents on Hampshire County Council’s planning portal and the dedicated Veolia website: veolia.co.uk/alton.”

Members of the public have until August 14 to comment, by visiting the planning section of the council’s website (hants.gov.uk) and searching for reference number 33619/007.