The government has temporarily banned permits for new incinerator plants in England – which means a huge one planned for the outskirts of Reading  could be under threat.

The environment department will now consider how many plants are needed across the UK.
It comes after a top government lawyer warned a plan being explored to pause permits was “unlawful”.

The planned-for incinerator near Reading would be situated on land next to Reading Quarry at Berry’s Lane, Pingewood, and is just inside West Berkshire Council’s administrative area.
West Berkshire Council approved plans for the site last summer.

The application site is on land next to Reading Quarry at Berry’s Lane, Pingewood, and is just inside West Berkshire Council’s administrative area.

The incinerator – that could burn 150,000 tonnes of waste – has outraged people living nearby.

“They say the site should be put in the middle of West Berkshire – not near them.
“If it is to serve West Berkshire it should be built in the middle of West Berkshire, so those causing the need understand the consequences,” said objector Carolyn Stewart.

Reading Chronicle: A CGI of what the incinerator might look like. Credit: J Mould / EnzygoA CGI of what the incinerator might look like. Credit: J Mould / Enzygo

The decision to instruct the Environment Agency to temporarily stop granting licences was made by junior Environment Minister Sir Mark Spencer.

Sir Mark took the decision to impose the temporary ban after fresh exchanges with the Environment Agency.

In a letter to its chief executive, Sir Mark said it was because he was “wary of committing” to giving more plants the go-ahead until officials had done more work “to consider whether there is a greater role for government to encourage investment in waste prevention”, such as recycling.

The West Berkshire plant, with 50m-high chimneys, was described as an “exciting opportunity” for the district, bringing up to 50 jobs with it when it went through the planning process.

It is one of ten incinerators put on the back burner until the permit issue is resolved by the government.

READ MORE: Reading MP voices opposition to plan for huge incinerator

Back in 2022, an objector slammed Reading Borough Council for not raising objections to the project. 

At the time, a spokesperson for the council said: “Reading initially responded to West Berkshire’s planning consultation on November 2020 [when the plan first appeared] and while there have been a number of revisions to proposals, none have given cause for Reading Council’s local planning authority to raise any specific grounds of objection on the basis of the impact on Reading.

“It should be noted, the Council’s response was based solely on the impact on Reading Borough as the neighbouring authority, rather than any impact in West Berkshire.”

You can view the approved project by typing reference 20/02029/COMIND into West Berkshire Council’s planning website.