Hatfield mother speaks out over health fears (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Hatfield mother speaks out over health fears

4:12pm Wednesday 26th August 2009

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THE mother of a Hatfield six-year-old battling multiple health problems is determined to defeat the waste plant planned next to his special needs school.

Dawn Hunter, of Mulberry Mead, whose son Jack attends Southfield Special Needs School, next to the new Barnfield site in Travellers Lane where the county council wants a controversial waste plant, has told the Review of her fears that he and his friends will be affected by pollution from it.

She said: "Southfield is the only school in Hatfield which is right for my son Jack, as he has ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), is partially deaf and has learning difficulties.

"The waste-to-energy plant or incinerator is going to affect the school and its children. All the kids in Southfield have enough problems as it is, they really don't need this affecting them as well.

"The council won't give me a reason as to why they've chosen this site and they certainly won't move the school elsewhere, so I am going to do everything in my power to stop this plant from being built. The council is going to have a fight on its hands."

Jack, a keen swimmer, has attended Southfield for the past year and according to his mother has come on leaps and bounds under the tutelage of staff.

Ms Hunter said: "I can't stress enough how great the special needs school has been for Jack. They couldn't do any more for him, they've been absolutely brilliant.

"It's just unbelievable that the council wants to stick this incinerator right behind the school, which could cause further medical problems for the kids that attend.

"I've got loads of support from parents, staff and councillors and I'm not afraid to take this issue to a higher authority - we do not want this incinerator being built."

Since the proposal for the "waste-to-energy plant" has been made public, a number of local councillors and residents have come forward, expressing their unhappiness with the chosen site and warning it will simply be an incinerator for household rubbish.

Critics include Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps, who has created an online petition in order to prevent the plant from being built.

Mr Shapps said: "Although energy from waste might be a good idea, it is the wrong location to build such a plant, not least because there are two schools and a library there already."

"All the parties locally are against this plan and I've launched www.savenewbarnfield.com to gather support, provide facts about both the process of energy from waste and to galvanise support from across the affected community in both South Hatfield and Welham Green."

A public meeting, organised by Labour borough councillor Kieran Thorpe to discuss the plant, is being held at 7.30pm tonight at Hilltop Hall next to The Harrier pub in Bishops Rise.

Hertfordshire County Council spokeswoman Lara Hejazi told the Review it was not certain what would happen to the New Barnfield site but the authority was inviting tenders from contractors for a range of solutions in various locations for waste treatment facilities.

She added that any waste treatment plant at New Barnfield would need planning permission, a public consultation and a thorough health impact assessment, which would include the possible affect on the school.

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