Ghost Ships
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Decision expected on recycling centre for 'ghost ships'
PLANS for a controversial recycling centre for former US Navy vessels will be re-examined by councillors next week - despite an ongoing planning inquiry.
Hartlepool Borough Council's planning committee meets on Thursday to reconsider four applications from Able UK seeking permission to begin dismantling work on the so-called ghost ships at its Graythorp site, near Seaton Carew, Hartlepool.
All four applications were originally rejected by the council and one is the subject of a planning inquiry - after Able UK appealed against the refusal in October last year.
Able UK wants to extend its yard and create the Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre (Terrc) to dismantle and recycle the unwanted ships.
Following the council's announcement, company chairman Peter Stephenson said: "We welcome the fact that the planning committee is to meet again and we are not aware of any reason why our applications should not be approved.
"The council have made their position very clear at the inquiry that they have no objections to our proposals.
"Their decision is absolutely critical to our ability to bring to Terrc major construction contracts, which will provide work for around 1,500 people in the Hartlepool and Tees Valley area."
Yesterday, the inquiry heard from a marine expert who expressed concern that Able UK had not carried out sufficient pollution tests to justify carrying out their work.
Marine pollution consultant Tim Deere-Jones spoke on behalf of Friends of the Earth.
He said the firm's Environmental Impact Statement, regarding the level of pollutants in sediment at the Terrc site, was flawed.
He added that not all the harmful pollutants found in the Tees estuary had been tested.
Mr Deere-Jones said: "The final report is flawed because it is not based on enough information.
"They have only measured for four out of nine polychlorinated biphenyls.
"If you are going to test for four as opposed to the nine that I have detected, that is not going to give the full picture."
But Richard Kingston, who represents Able, said it was "irresponsible" for Mr Deere-Jones to comment, as he had not read all the data the company had supplied to the inquiry.
The planning meeting will take place on Thursday, at 1pm, in the Sir William Gray Suite, in Hartlepool's Maritime Experience.
The inquiry was adjourned until October 31 for the representatives to make closing speeches.
9:19am Saturday 20th October 2007
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