A £50 million project to convert Belfast's household rubbish and sewage sludge into electricity is being delayed by government planners, the High Court heard yesterday. Nigen Environmental, the company behind the project, is seeking a judicial review to compel the Department of the Environment to adjudicate on its application for planning permission submitted over two years ago.
Mr Declan Morgan, counsel for Nigen, told Mr Justice Coghlin the case had been listed for hearing on August 20th. Nigen wants to build the conversion plant at McCaughey Road alongside Belfast Power Station West.
The company is the preferred choice of Belfast City Council for the disposal of solid waste for a 20-year period starting in 2000. But the council has imposed a cut-off date of October 21st, 1998, for the contract to be awarded.
Nigen says the department's delay in announcing a decision is unreasonable and unfair and is prejudicing the financial planning and co-ordination of the project. In papers before the court, Nigen claimed the department had failed to meet two dates on which its decision was expected to be announced.