Rainbows and dark skies

It has been a mixed couple of weeks. We continue to have excellent engagement from the Environment Agency (EA) and their regional team, whose guidance is assisting us in the development of the protype fast-gassing cell. Our first formal design meeting with the wider design team is set for 11th March, and we hope to begin construction this spring.

Unfortunately, Wiltshire Council is not being as helpful. Having asked many questions, which we have responded to in full, their planning officer has only just commenced the interested parties consultation. It is clear to us that they have used their delays in commencing this consultation as an excuse to restart the clock for the application. This puts the award date back to 21st May at the earliest. My biggest concern is that the delay in planning permission now hangs over the project like a black cloud.

This is made more galling by the fact that we have strong community support for the Super-Midden, and we also know that the scheme is fully compliant with planning requirements.

So, to avoid months of bureaucratic delays – as the process of paperwork, form filling and box-ticking to runs its course – we may have little choice but to formally implement Sustainable Anarchy for the first time; in an effort to avoid the loss jobs linked to the initiative. This would see us commencing construction ahead of formal planning permission.

We view this as necessary not only to secure a future for our employees, but also to avoid the loss of huge environmental gains that the Sustain Super-Midden will bring.

This is a situation that is neatly encapsulated by the picture taken by one of our employees earlier this week. It shows a rainbow above our office. I think it shows where we are in the project. The rainbow is the future but there are dark clouds on the horizon.

Until next time…

Nick Ash