Who are RAP

RAP (Residents Against the Plant)

Is a non-political protest group formed by Byley and Cranage residents in 1999, to oppose the building of Scottish Power's Byley Gas Plant. RAP represents thousands of local people, and is organised into an action group of about 60 volunteers, led by an Executive Committee.

RAP is official representative of the following local councils, to oppose the gas plant:

Allostock,
Brereton,
Byley,
Cranage,
Goostrey,
Holmes Chapel,
Knutsford,
Lower Withington,
Middlewich,
Sandbach,
Somerford,
Sproston,
Sweatenham.

RAP is fighting for everyone, not just Byley, not just Cheshire - because if Scottish Power can build their gas plant deep in rural England, and in contempt of local opposition, and the democratically agreed local plan,
then any monster, money-driven project could be planted anywhere.

RAP Executive Committee members shown:

Centre:
John Halstead, (Chairman) Chartered engineer, lived in Allostock and Cranage the past 20 years. Married with 2 sons.

At the back, left to right:
Dr Jamie Atherton, retired GP, worked with pleasure in the NHS for 20 years. Married with three daughters. Special interests: environmental care, a good book and a decent malt. He was sent ,as usual, to a public school where a little learning was painfully beaten into him, and from thence to the university, where it was carefully taken out of him.

David A. Ord, BSc (Chem.), Management Consultant, has lived in Cranage for 10 years.

John Oakley, Chartered Electrical Engineeer of 30 years experience. Managing Director of an electronics company. Married with four children.

Dr John Edwards, (Press and Media Spokesman) Molecular biologist, worked 26 years for ICI Pharmaceuticals/Zeneca. Now freelance TV writer/producer. Married with one son.

THE POLLUTION RISK REMAINS

Scottish Power now say they will use electric powered compressors at the Byley Gas Plant, not gas turbine compressors.

They want you to believe this means the plant will be pollution-free. Well it won't. In the first place there will be 5 GAS FIRED BOILERS at the plant, pouring out pollution: greenhouse-gas carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides that will drop acid rain downwind of the site. Also there will be further pollution, produced at the power sites generating the power needed by the gas plant's electric compressors.

After that, don't fall for Scottish Power's second line of defence, which is to say that there will now be less pollution. They're like the vandal who says he's not going to smash all your windows - just some of them.

And remember that the only reason for this pollution is Scottish Power's profit.

Britain doesn't need the Gas Plant! Latest Information

Cheshire County Council U-Turn

Press Release says CCC to present no evidence to Inquiry on Scottish Power’s Appeal Against refusal of Gas Plant Planning Permission Those who run from the fight are shamed as cowards - especially those who run while their comrades are advancing to face the enemy.

Now Cheshire County Council, with its great resources, its massive headquarters, its professional staff and its huge annual budget, has run from the gas plant fight and left it to RAP – a small group of part-timers – to fight the giant Scottish Power, even when the Council knows the gas plant is manifestly against the County’s structure plan, and is manifestly against the will of the people of Cheshire. Consequently to say that RAP disapproves of Cheshire County Council’s U-turn decision not to fight, is an all time understatement.

We ask if this is what residents can expect in future from the Council? What is the point of planning rules or structure plans if the Council will not defend them? The decision not to fight creates a precedent: a precedent that Cheshire is an open house to any industry that wishes to rip up our countryside regardless of local opinion, the environment or safety issues.
For a fundamental matter of principle is involved here. If - as the County Council say - they do not want the gas plant, and want the Secretary of State to stop it; and yet they will not fight against it because they fear the cost; then what proposal backed by a major company can ever be refused by the County Council? It is as if Winston Churchill in 1940 said “I do not want the Germans to come, but we shall not fight them if they do, because I will not pay for the bullets.”

Therefore, RAP warmly pays tribute to the substantial number of honourable Councillors who have steadfastly backed the fight against the gas plant, and who voted to continue the fight, and to support the Development Regulatory Committee’s two refusals of planning permission, and to oppose the motion that the County Council should present no evidence at the Inquiry commencing on November 19th.
Meanwhile RAP is resolved that together with CAP (Councils Against the Plant) we shall fight on. We shall fight and we shall win, because we have a strong, well- researched case which fully represents the views of local residents and which deserves to be heard.

Finally RAP points out a sickening U-turn within the County Council’s U-turn. The Council claims that it continues to oppose the gas plant, but paragraph 13 of their press release states that the Council’s first refusal of the gas plant…
“resulted in a much improved second application and a good environmental package which the Council would continue to seek to improve.”

Note the words we have highlighted. They sounds as if the Council has given in and seeks only to mitigate the consequences of a completed gas plant. Worse still – whether intentional or not – these words are an invitation to Scottish Power to put in yet another planning application, plus advice on how to word it such that the Council could approve the gas plant in practice, while staunchly opposing it in principle.

What is going on? Is the Council facing both ways at the same time? Is it hiding behind RAP? Is it hiding behind its lawyers and auditors? Is it hoping for the Secretary of Sate to ride to the rescue on a white horse and take the problem away?
Not since Pontius Pilate washed his hands, has a public body wriggled so hard to avoid its responsibilities.

Finally, and in the name of representative democracy, RAP demands that the County Council reveal the names of those councillors who voted for the proposal to abandon the fight, and those who voted to fight on.

Elections will come in due course and the electorate has a right to know.Dr John Edwards, Press and Media Officer

Beckham & Giggs support the fight

BIG NAMES BACK RAP’S AUCTION NIGHTThe biggest names in UK sport are now right behind RAP, on a football autographed by Manchester United’s top players including David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and the rest. The football – a prized icon for any sports fan – is the latest in a growing list of tasty items still flowing in from generous donors anxious to support RAP’s cause. And that’s not the end of the Man United connection, because another and separate auction item is the use of a box at United’s ground.
Said RAP’s auction organiser George Yarwood: “It’s almost an embarrassment of riches! We’ve got the catalogue published, and everything ready and yet the offers of auction items are still flowing in, so there’s going to be plenty of excitement on the night with offers we haven’t even seen right now. It’s just amazing how kind people have been and how ready they are to help us.”
RAP Chairman John Halstead added: “It’s just one more sign that the whole community wants the gas plant dead and buried, and nobody’s believed a word of Scottish Power’s propaganda.”
Meanwhile tickets are selling fast for the auction night Friday October 18th at Goostrey Village Hall, doors open at 7.15, admission £5 which includes cheese and wine. To book in advance phone any of the following numbers

RAP LAUNCH WEBSITE www.nogasplant.co.uk

Monday March 4th was a big day for protest group RAP in their campaign to stop Scottish Power planting a chemical-industrial complex in the heart of rural Cheshire. Speaking to an audience including journalists and photographers, RAP Chairman John Halstead, said: "Through www.nogasplant.co.uk RAP will reach a vastly wider audience than ever before to make our reasoned case against Scottish Power's Gas Plant II - demolishing some of their nonsensical claims, such as the statement that Britain needs the plant. Britain doesn't need it. Only Scottish Power needs it - to make money for Scottish Power." John Halstead went on to advertise RAP's public meetings - open to all - at 6.30 pm Goostrey Village Hall on Friday March 15th, and 6 pm Cranage Conference Centre, Saturday March 16th.

Then, dropping a massive bombshell on Scottish Power's technical case, RAP asked "Where's the Salt?", a profound safety question about Scottish Power's plans, which either ignore or are ignorant of best practise set by British Gas Storage - the only UK body with expertise in this area, and who have long since considered and rejected Cheshire as a fit site for underground gas storage. This is because, for underground gas storage in salt strata, British Gas Storage require 100 metres of solid salt around and beneath each gas cavity, and then 4.5 cavity diameters between each cavity. But the cavities Planned by Scottish Power are much closer than this, and worse still, there'd be nothing like 100 metres of salt beneath the cavities: perhaps only a few metres. So nobody - but nobody - knows if Scottish Power's gas cavities will be safe, because if there isn't enough salt to secure the cavities, we're into the unknown, with completely unpredictable reactions from unknown strata, deep down below. Said RAP Press Spokesman Dr John Edwards: "This is frightening. If amateurs like us can work this out, then why can't Scottish Power? It looks like they haven't done their homework. And remember, it's not RAP that demands 100 metres of salt around gas cavities - it's standards published by British Gas Storage. So we're asking Scottish Power: where's the salt?"

Spineless Cheshire County Council

Cheshire County Council have stunned and disappointed the people of Cheshire by running away from the fight against Scottish Power. The Council have decided to present no evidence to the inquiry starting November 19th, because they believe this course of action will avoid their having to pay the cost of fighting the inquiry.

RAP is contemptuous of this spineless action and will fight on - together with CAP (Councils Against the Plant), and the good news is that we are going to win, because our case is strong and we have a first class barrister (Mr William Upton QC) to present it for us. So it's thank you and goodnight Cheshire County Council - when it came to the crunch you were as much use as a one-legged man at an arse-kicking party.

Gas plant newsletter

• Early September 2002:

RAP has launched a COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER. a 4-page multi-colour, high-quality release which gives the facts in a nutshell,: the danger presented by the Gas Plant, the USA Hutchinson disaster that hit a similar Gas Plant causing deaths and injuries, how to dump ManWeb (Scottish Power's subsidiary who no longer deserve your custom) and much else. 25,000 copies of the Newsletter to go through letterboxes all over our County, to spread the news.

And there will be a RAP fund-raising "AUCTION NIGHT" and wine and cheese party, at Goostrey Village Hall on Friday October 18th. Should be fun, with plenty of big items open for auction.

Allostock residents say no to the plant!

Allostock Parish Council have taken a powerful initiative by carrying out a survey of the opinion of all their c.700 residents regarding the Gas Plant. Each household was sent a questionnaire asking what people thought of the Gas Plant, and whereas Council questionnaires usually pull only a few percent replies, this one was filled in and sent back by 50% of residents - further evidence of the strength of local feeling about the Gas Plant, as was the result: 100% of residents don't want it!

Allostock's example now shines before other Councils and the energetic Allostock Parish Council, led by David Harper, is circulating details for others to copy. Rest assured that the results of this survey will go before the inspector, together as part of our detailed case against the Gas Plant, in November.

Venue for the enquiry

Venue for the Inquiry is currently expected to be THE PORTAL GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB at Tarporley - but don't hold your breath on this one. There is considerable opinion that Tarporley is too far away from the concerned local community, and that ratepayers' money is being wasted on paying for the use of a private venue, when such an inquiry ought to take place in a public building - such as a town hall - which would also confer the necessary dignity on the occasion. More information to follow. Watch this space.

RAP & CAP appoint barrister for day in court

RAP and CAP have appointed a barrister to represent them at the November inquiry. He is Mr William Upton Q.C. who has comprehensive experience in planning inquiries of this kind, and is being briefed for the inquiry from RAP's extensive data base.

The team is delighted to have this skilled professional on board, but we will still need PEOPLE POWER when the inquiry starts on November 19th: a mass turnout of Cheshire residents to demonstrate that Cheshire doesn't want the Gas Plant. More information to follow on this big day.

Town and Parish councils against the gas plant!

Some 20 town and parish Councils form "CAP" (Councils Against the Plant) to fight together with RAP to kill the Gas Plant. This adds tremendous democratic legitimacy to the battle, and further underlines the fact that Cheshire wants nothing to do with Scottish Power's wretched plans to pollute our county.

GAS PLANT REFUSED or so we thought!!!!

The Development Regulatory Committee of Cheshire County Council refuse planning permission for Scottish Power's Gas Plant II on the grounds that the scale and extent of the development is inappropriate in the open countryside, and because of the extent of fear among local people, and the possibility of accidents.

Scottish Power have appealed against this decision, and the appeal will be heard, starting October 15th. RAP will be in there, fighting to kill the Gas Plant finally and absolutely, and we will work by offering careful, researched, reasoned arguments.

A final point: Scottish Power think that the appeal will cover only the above grounds for refusal of the planning application, but RAP will ensure that every relevant aspect of the Gas Plant, will be covered, and covered in detail.

So: October 2002 is when we finally drive a stake through the heart of Scottish Power's Gas Plant, and kill it for good!

Appeal Date Changes to November 19th 2002

Latest information is that Scottish Power's appeal against Cheshire County Council's refusal of the Gas Plant planning applications, will be held from November 19th, possibly at Winsford, and may run to up to 12 days of hearings - so pencil this in your diary, but don't write it in ink, as things may yet change.

If you sent a letter to Cheshire County Council, opposing the Gas Plant, then don't worry - all these protest letters will be forwarded to the appeal inspectorate - and that's something like 10, 000 to 13, 000 letters in total, adding up those sent opposing Gas Plant I and those opposing Gas Plant II.

If you have anything extra and new to say about the Gas Plants, that's to say something you didn't mention before, then you have UNTIL AUGUST 1st to write to the inspectorate - but it would have to be something tangible that would influence the case. Here's the inspectorate's address:-

The Planning Inspectorate,
3/02 Kite Wing,
Temple Quay House,
2 The Square,
Temple Quay,
Bristol,
BS1 6PN.

Scottish Power and DTI - Who's Pulling Strings?

The inept and unprecedented intervention by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) into Scottish Power's planning application for Gas Plant II, may not be unconnected with the relationship between Scottish Power non-executive director Euan Baird, and Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

When Nigel Peace (DTI director of energy regulation), sent his letter supporting Gas Plant II, to Adrian Lea (planning officer at Cheshire County Council), RAP's first reaction was surprise at the factually-incorrect, ill-informed and patronizing content of the letter, which also included attempts to pressure the County Council into a decision, by phrases such as:
"(Gas) storage projects have been slow to come through, and it is important that obstacles are not put in the way of those that do."
… and …
"Investors in other potential projects will look closely at what happens at Byley and any delay or difficulty in planning approval could deter further projects."
Said RAP Chairman John Halstead: "In summary, the DTI's letter was written by someone who wants to push Cheshire County Council into approving Gas Plant II, but who knows little or nothing of gas storage, or Byley, or Cheshire. So we were easily able to send Cheshire County Council a document demolishing the DTI letter point by point and in detail."
What's more, the DTI probably shouldn't have sent the letter in the first place since it's not their proper function to attempt to influence County planning authorities with lengthy documents on specific cases. So why did DTI risk going quite so far out on a limb to support Scottish Power?
The answer may come from Channel 4 TV's programme 'The Mark Thomas Product' screened last week, in which presenter Mark Thomas revealed that Scottish Power director Euan Baird sits on a powerful Tony Blair quango: 'The Council for Science
and Technology' and that Baird had "forgotten" to declare his Scottish Power - 2 -
directorship on the Council's compulsory register of outside interests. When questioned about this lapse, Baird could not explain it, and neither could Patricia Hewitt, Chairman of the Council for Science and Technology, who is also the minister responsible for the DTI which sent the letter supporting Scottish Power. Furthermore, Euan Baird is not the only link between Scottish Power and DTI.
Scottish Power director Alan Leighton, was recruited via the DTI to serve on the board of Consignia.
So RAP asks: what's going on here? How many other connections might there be between Scottish Power and the supposedly-impartial DTI? And above all, RAP wants to know if Cheshire County Council will be allowed to make up its own mind on Gas Plant II, free from questionable intervention by people remote from the facts, and whose actions are so very much in favour of their friends Scottish Power. Dr John Edwards, Press and Media Officer, 07977 496229

Congleton council say no to fgas plant 2!!!

NOW IT'S UP TO CHESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL AS CONGLETON TELLS THEM TO SAY
NO TO GAS PLANT II THIS IS A LOCAL ELECTION ISSUE

Following last week's vote by Vale Royal's planning committee, to tell Cheshire County Council to say NO TO GAS PLANT II, yesterday Monday 15th April, the Congleton Borough Council Planning Committee voted to tell the County Council that Congleton, "…objects strongly to the application because of its environmental impact and wishes to see it refused." And Congleton went on to say that it, "…considers the application for such a facility in this location fundamentally ill conceived."
Said RAP Chairman John Halsted, "We're delighted to see the Borough Councils acting in this way after a careful consideration of the evidence, and also responding to the postbag of letters and personal calls, opposing Gas Plant II., that so many councilors have received. Now we look to Cheshire County Council to say ' no' on May 21st, when their Development Regulatory Committee meets to decide on the planning application."
Added Dr John Edwards, RAP's Press Spokesman, "With Borough Council elections on May 2nd, this is now an election issue. We must all challenge our Councillors to say where they stand - and most important of all - we must ask Borough Councillors what they personally are doing to tell County Councillors that our community is immovably against Gas Plant II." Dr John Edwards, Press and Media Officer

RAP SCORES 5,200 AS CHESHIRE SAYS ----- NO! ---- TO GAS PLANT II

Last week on 28th March, with a stunning 5,200 no-gas-plant letters delivered to Cheshire County Hall, the guillotine came down, since that's when Cheshire County Council Planning officers stopped counting the continuing flood of protest letters for the official report to the Development Regulatory Committee, who will make the big decision on May 21. Said RAP Chairman, John Halstead, "We are absolutely delighted with this huge number of letters. The target we had to beat was the 4,200 letters which Council Officers counted against Scottish Power's first gas plant planning application. So the huge margin by which we have surpassed 4,200 is final proof that the people of Cheshire don't want the gas plant, and we look to our elected Councillors to reflect the will of the people in their decision on May 21st." Added RAP press spokesman Dr John Edwards, "Remember too, that the people of Cheshire sent in this many letters in only three weeks, as compared with the three months or more, they had last time. This huge success is partly due to our use of standard letters that people could simply sign for us to deliver, but every one of those was signed of somebody's own free will, because unlike Scottish Power, RAP believes in democracy and in giving people a free choice."

SCOTTISH POWER PROPAGANDA BACKFIRES

Desperate to persuade a sceptical public that Gas Plant II is not the environmental desecration that it actually is, Scottish Power have launched another clumsy stunt that has comprehensively miss-fired. Terrified of running proper public meetings where RAP would hit them with uncomfortable truths, Scottish Power are deluging members of the public with "Community Information Leaflets" - glossy exercises in spin and PR - sent to peoples' homes with a covering letter beginning with the weasel words "Cheshire County Councillors have suggested we write to you", to give a spurious "official credibility" to this exercise in propaganda. Said RAP Chairman John Halstead: "Once again Scottish Power have shot themselves in the foot. My phone's been red hot with furious people phoning to ask what's going on, and expressing their fury at such ludicrously biased nonsense being sent into their homes." Added Dr John Edwards, RAP's Press Spokesman: "Apart from anything else, the information leaflet is full of misrepresentation, as there's no national need at all for Gas Plant II, it would be big, noisy, ugly and polluting, and above all there's a frightening safety question Scottish Power are refusing to discuss." The safety problem is WHERE'S THE SALT? Over two weeks since RAP broke the story, Scottish Power are still refusing to discuss why there would be less than 10 metres of protective salt strata beneath their underground gas cavities, when UK experts British Gas Storage, insist on 100 metres of solid salt strata. The silence is deafening and becoming a scandal. This is serious.

GEORGE OSBORNE BACKS RAP And we're still asking WHERE'S THE SALT

GEORGE OSBORNE BACKS RAP And we're still asking WHERE'S THE SALT

RAP are delighted to announce that their campaign to stop Gas Plant II - Scottish Power's get-rich-quick scheme, despoiling rural Cheshire - has the full backing of Tatton MP George Osborne, one of Parliament's youngest members, and a rising star, whose vigorous and well-briefed performance in debates has made ministers tremble. George Osborne will speak at RAP's first public meeting at 6.30 pm, March 15th, Goostrey Village Hall. RAP are also organising a separate meeting the following night at 6.00 pm, March 16th at Cranage Village Hall Said RAP Chairman John Halstead:

We welcome George Osborne to the growing band of people who have taken a careful, considered look at Scottish Power's proposals and found them deeply flawed. A man like George does not lightly give his support to any old cause, and his support is a key piece of evidence that Scottish Power are just plain wrong in what they are trying to do. Added Press Spokesman John Edwards: Scottish Power's response to our Where's the Salt' campaign, highlighting that there's not enough salt for safety around and under their planned gas cavities - is laughable. They just say all's well' and don't answer the key question: why are they planning only a few metres of salt under their cavities, when UK expert British Gas Storage, say there should be at least 100 metres? This is frightening and people should be worried.

SCOTTISH POWER: WHERE'S THE SALT?

RAP LAUCH a WEBSITE - AND DROP A NUKE ON SCOTTISH POWER: WHERE'S THE SALT?

In a meeting of journalists, photographers and invited guests at Woodside Golf Club, RAP formally launched this website and highlighted a fundamental failure in Scottish Power's plans for the gas plant: under the heading "WHERE'S THE SALT?" RAP's experts pointed out that safety standards, established by British Gas Storage (now Dynergy), are not being adhered to by Scottish Power.

Data indicate that there is an insufficient depth of salt at the planned site, to store the gas safely. To meet the desirable safety standards, would require cavities much nearer the surface, which at this shallower depth, would call into question the economic viability of the project.

Indeed, British Gas Storage are on record as having stated that the shallow salt deposits in Cheshire are unsuitable for large volume gas storage and that the only sites in the UK are in NE England, where the salt is 3 times the depth of that in Cheshire. Since British Gas Storage's views are public knowledge, to ignore them represents a potentially catastrophic oversight by Scottish Power, for whom this represents their first foray into salt cavity gas storage. Said a RAP spokesman: "Remember, it's not RAP who have set the safety parameters, it's British Gas Storage, so let Scottish Power argue with them as to why they have chosen not to adopt them!" Meanwhile this looks so serious that it calls into question Scottish Power's technical expertise.

Are these really the people to be entrusted with such a high risk project, where safety considerations should be absolute?

Cheshire Gas plant 2!

Same as before with its hat turned backwards and its fingers crossed Following last week's meeting with Scottish Power and Manweb, RAP's technical team has studied detailed documents specifying the latest planning application for the Byley Gas plant. The team found that the "new" Gas Plant would be: Big Ugly Noisy Polluting Risky Wide open to Terrorist attack And totally un-necessary - except to make megabucks for Scottish Power. Said RAP Chairman John Halstead: "The County Council refused the last application because its 'scale and extent' were 'inappropriate within the open countryside'. This new application's just as bad so there's no way anyone could accept it." And RAP spokesman Dr John Edwards said: "The fight is on and the first major events will be the up-coming Press Launch of our Website, followed by big public meetings to rally the people of Cheshire. I can't stress enough that there is real danger of Scottish Power getting a quick 'yes' to this proposal, if the public fail to act because they think the fight's all over." But Ominously for Scottish Power, RAP committee member David Ord added: "Having studied Scottish Power's plans we will soon be challenging the fundamental viability of their Gas Plant project. Details to follow - so watch this space for hot news!"

Scottish Power file a new application

Scottish Power lodge their latest Gas Plant application with Cheshire County Council.

ACTION STATIONS!

The Danger is real and the Fight is on Last night, Tuesday February 12th, representatives of RAP (Residents Against the Plant) met representatives of Scottish Power and Ineos Chlor, with Adrian Lea (Planning Officer at Cheshire County Council), to discuss Scottish Power's continued intention to build the Byley Gas Plant. Afterwards, in sombre mood, RAP Chairman John Halstead, stated: "They claimed they've responded to local concerns, but they're still building a major industrial complex in the heart of rural Cheshire - in fact their plans are now slightly bigger! It will still be noisy, ugly and risky: causing extra pollution, and still wide open to terrorist attack."

Added Press Officer, Dr John Edwards: "We questioned hard on how their small staff could defend this big site against terrorists. Scottish Power revealed technical details which we'll keep confidential, for security, but it was obvious the plant couldn't be defended unless guarded night and day by soldiers." Ex GP, RAP member Dr Jamie Atherton commented: "Scottish Power are bouncing this on the local community. They're running no public meetings, just a propaganda leaflet campaign and one low grade "Drop In Day" at Byley Village Hall. How can 20,000 local people learn anything from this?" John Halstead summed up: "This is now a serious matter of principle. If Scottish Power can put their Gas Plant in Byley - against the County Council's Structure Plan, and in the teeth of united local opposition - then anything can be built anywhere to serve selfish profit. So we'll mobilise public opinion and we'll fight this and win. We're clearing the decks for action! "

The Threat Returns from Scottish Power

Scottish power confirm they will re-apply to the County Council in February with a "new"(it isn't!) planning application "answering" (it doesn't!) objections to their old application. In fact, they're offering the old application with its fingers crossed and its hat turned backwards. They're offering:

Electric Compressors, not gas turbines, Just as dangerous, very noisy, still causing pollution (at the power stations generating the electricity).

Smaller buildings, but still surrounded by a major industrial/chemical complex in the heart of rural England.

"Only" 8 Monster underground Cavities instead of 9 - How kind!

Scottish Power are like a vandal who was going to smash all your windows, and is now offering to smash all but one.

DANGER! Will Scottish Power beat the planning system?

Following rejection of their Gas Plant by the entire local community, and by Cheshire County Council's Development Regulatory Committee, Scottish Power are now trying to re-apply for the same thing, under slightly different conditions. Last night RAP held its first business meeting since Scottish Power's announcement, and perceive one, imminent danger. Said RAP Chairman John Halstead: "We fear Scottish Power is trying to rush through this second application before the community - or anyone else - gets time to look at it. For instance, they won't be running 'road shows' as they did last time to tell people what they're doing."

Press Spokesman Dr John Edwards, commented: "Such a major project needs a good six months consideration, and it would be ludicrous to steamroller it through in a few weeks. We are seriously concerned and will be lobbying the County Council to get proper time for this vital matter." John Halstead added: "Scottish Power should beware that people in Cheshire are hitting back by abandoning Scottish Power's Manweb subsidiary, to buy power from other companies, of which there are plenty these days, all wanting to take Manweb's business. RAP is already being pressed to run a campaign encouraging this". Dr John Edwards, Press and Media Officer, 07788 145664

Count Scotpowula Rises From his Grave

After months of indecision, Scottish Power has risen from the grave where they have lain since October 23rd when Cheshire County Council responded to the manifest will of the people of Cheshire, by throwing out the application to build a huge gas-plant at Byley in Cheshire. This time, Scottish Power hope to get their way by coming back with another application, changing details of their original plan to make it seem less threatening: a key element being to replace gas-turbine compressors with electric compressors.

But John Halstead, Chairman of the protest group 'Residents Against the Plant', that delivered such a total demolition of Scottish Power's earlier proposals, commented: 'It's laughable! Scottish Power claim that electric compressors will be quiet and non-polluting. But anyone who's heard a vacuum cleaner, knows how noisy even domestic electric machinery can be - let alone the monsters that Scottish Power would put into Byley. And as for being pollution-free, this would only move the pollution elsewhere - to the power stations burning extra fuel to drive the electric compressors." Added Dr John Edwards, RAP's Press Spokesman: "This proposal won't pull the wool over anybody's eyes. It's the same wretched plan - but with its fingers crossed and its hat turned backwards. The gas plant is still totally un-necessary in national terms, and is still just a spiffing wheeze to make vast profits for Scottish Power, while despoiling our local environment. We are ready, willing and able to fight on, and we have no doubt that the people of Cheshire will show that they are as firmly against this "new" plan as they were against the old one." Dr John Edwards, Press and Media Officer