Actor Jeremy Irons in Gloucester to back campaign against waste incinerator

Jeremy Irons at the Guildhall in Gloucester. Credit: ITV News West Country

The actor Jeremy Irons visited Gloucester today to back a report by environmental campaigners opposed to a £500m waste incinerator. Environmental enterprise group Community R4C claims the incinerator at Javelin Park outside Gloucester will cost taxpayers over £35m more than alternatives and may breach competition law.

Residents nearby claim the development will be the size of Gloucester Cathedral with a 70m high chimney looming over homes. Currently more than half of residents' household waste is sent to landfill, which creates harmful greenhouse gases and in 2013/14 cost £9 million in tax.

Irons' appearance was dismissed by Gloucestershire County Council's deputy leader Cllr Ray Theodoulou. He said the council listened to 'experts rather than actors'. By return, Jeremy Irons apologised for being an actor but said like everyone else he wanted to breathe clean air.

Groundworks are already underway for the massive incinerator. Credit: ITV News West Country