Controversial incinerator at centre of planning row set for demolition
Ted Peskett, local democracy reporter
An incinerator in a Welsh town that was at centre of a major planning row could soon be knocked down.
Associated British Ports (ABP) announced that it submitted a prior notification of demolition for the main operational buildings at the Barry Biomass 2 facility in Barry.
Aviva Investors, who were behind the incinerator project on Hood Road, confirmed early in 2025 that the company running the plant was going into liquidation.
Vale of Glamorgan Council was locked in a long-running planning dispute with Barry Biomass No.2 over the way the incinerator was built, and there was widespread opposition to the site from environmental campaigners and concerned residents.
Handed back
An ABP spokesperson said: “The buildings and site relating to Biomass Number 2 Ltd were unexpectedly handed back to Associated British Ports (ABP) in December 2024.
“Since then, we stepped in to keep the buildings and site safe and secure and have undertaken an extensive and rigorous due diligence process to understand viable options for the buildings and site.
“This due diligence process has concluded that there are no commercially viable options for the buildings and site in their current form.
“Therefore, we have submitted a Prior Notification of Proposed Demolition to the Vale of Glamorgan Council for the main operational buildings for the Barry Biomass 2 facility on the Port in Barry.”
The Local Democracy Reporting Service was told by ABP that if the proposed demolition is approved, it could start in 2025, and be complete by spring 2026.
Committed
The leader of Vale of Glamorgan Council, Cllr Lis Burnett, said: “We are pleased to hear that ABP wish to clear much of the site and are committed to removing the biomass plant.
“There is a huge strength of feeling in Barry and beyond relating to the Barry Biomass plant and so bringing the matter to a conclusion as soon as possible will be a major step forward.
“We will continue to work with ABP towards that aim and in relation to a positive future for Barry.”
Barry Biomass was served with an enforcement notice in 2021 because there were discrepancies with the site and the plans that were approved for it in 2015.
The company appealed the notice to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) and in August 2023, it was quashed.
Planning applications
Vale of Glamorgan Council’s planning committee rejected retrospective planning applications for the incinerator in 2024.
However, a final decision on those applications and whether or not the incinerator could operate rested in the hands of the Welsh Government.
In November 2024 it was reported that Aviva Investors had lost £350 million on investments in three incinerator energy plants and that it was about to put them all into administration.
The two other incinerators Aviva Investors invested in are located in Hull and Boston, Lincolnshire.
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Limiting incinerator construction was one of the best achievements of the Welsh government. These incinerators build up near ports, would burn European waste. Polluting our air, filling up our land fill with toxic ash and ugly. Our current incinerator capacity is still under utilised.
Ted, a suggestion. If the Paper would like the true history of the incinerator then come and interview DIAG and FoE Barry. It is a lengthy discussion, with so many errors along the way. Join a debate to see if an inquiry could be agreed to stop the same errors occurring in future. There is no indication that lessons have been learned.