A COMMUNITY action group has questioned why the Environment Agency has 'withheld' a draft permit for an incinerator plant north of the city. 

The Environment Agency has drafted a permit for the controversial Carlisle incinerator, but refused to let the public see the draft on the grounds that it could be 'alarming' and 'cause unnecessary concern' about facts that have yet to be confirmed. 

The prospect of an incinerator, built to burn waste at Kingmoor Park, has been in the pipeline since 2016.

CRAIN (Carlisle Residents Against Incinerator) spokesperson, David Mudge said: "What is in this draft permit that the Environment Agency think is so alarming it needs to be withheld from the public? What has the Environment Agency got to hide?"

Fortum hopes to build and operate the Carlisle incinerator and has applied to the Environment Agency for a permit. 

The Environment Agency expects to issue a draft permit soon but groups opposed to the incinerator say there are numerous outstanding issues, including health concerns, that must be addressed before a draft permit is issued.

READ MORE: Council slammed for plans to give retrospective permission for incinerator fuel plant

The Environment Agency has confirmed that a public consultation will be held before any decision is made, however. 

Mr Mudge added: "We know from information requests, that the Environment Agency has not even asked for the information needed to address many of our concerns."

Norman McPhail, chair of Lowry Hill Residents Association said "Residents feel very let down. I don't see how the Environment Agency can have addressed all the issues that have been raised.

"And now we have the Environment Agency refusing to release important information. It feels like the Environment Agency are just working for big business and themselves."

Sally Tears, on behalf of Rockcliffe Action Group, said: "There have been a lot of objections to this permit application. Residents do not want this incinerator. Is the Environment Agency working for the public or are they really working for the incinerator company?"

An Environment Agency spokesperson: "We are reviewing a draft permit for this site as part of our standard permitting process and would like to reassure the local community that before any decision regarding the permit is made, there will of course be a public consultation on it.”

READ MORE: Greens say new energy facility could make Carlisle a 'waste city'