Autism charity concerns over new incinerator plans near school

  • Video report by ITV News Meridian's Richard Slee

There are about 100 pupils at Portfield School and they all have special educational needs. It's very close to Bournemouth Airport and a busy road.

But it's the plans to build a waste incinerator that staff here see as the main threat to the children's health.

Siun Cranny, of Portfield School, said: "Our children spend a lot of time in the playground and around the site, doing different activities. It's really important for their education".

"Any additional activity to the area that changes the environment, we need to object to that"

  • Siun Cranny, of Portfield School

There is already a recycling centre at the eco site, mainly dealing with garden waste. What's planned is a new energy recovery facility which includes an incinerator.

The amount of rubbish that Dorset send to landfill is double the national average and all of it goes out of the county. This proposal will reduce that figure.

Eco says the new facility that thousands fewer HGV journeys will be needed every month and household rubbish will be converted into low carbon energy with every effort made to reduce pollution.

An artist's impression of what the new facility will look like

Justin Dampney, of Eco, said: "We've invested a lot of time and money in ensuring the technology that we utilise absolutely minimises emissions, we're talking less than 1%".

"Locally it won't be noticed and we're happy to talk to the school and anyone else to discuss with us any concerns".

  • Justin Dampney, Eco

Siun Cranny says: "We appreciate those assurances but we need to put the children first. They're here for a long time in our school. There's no evidence of the long term impacts and that really concerns us and our parents".

There is a delicate balance to consider here: on one hand the school's concerns for the health of its pupils. On the other hand: the need to deal locally with the increasing amount of waste that our society is creating.

The planning application for this site is expected to be considered by BCP council next week.