6:49pm Monday 14th January 2008
By Ellie Simmonds
Campaigners failed in their bid to save an Oxfordshire beauty spot today.
But the group vowed to continue their fight to get Radley Lakes registered as a protected Town Green by seeking a judicial review in the High Court.
More than 50 protesters from the campaign to prevent Didcot Power Station from dumping waste ash in Thrupp and Bullfield Lakes gathered at County Hall in Oxford.
They urged councillors to ignore planning inspector Vivian Chapman, who ruled that the lakes and surrounding land should not be registered as a Town Green.
But councillors on the planning and regulation committee voted 10-4 to back the planning inspector. Following the decision, Jo Cartmell, 54, a spokesman for the lakes campaign group, said: "For the past two years RWE npower, which runs Didcot Power Station, has suspended its proposals at the lake and it would be honourable for them not to dump ash while we seek leave for a judicial review in the High Court."
Mrs Cartmell urged committee members to register the lakes area as a Town Green, as happened with the Trap Grounds in North Oxford, protecting the site from city council development plans.
Nick Tennant, a spokesman for RWE npower, said the company would now review its operations and added that although councillors had give the firm the go-ahead, the firm would not start dumping ash immediately. We need to look at nesting seasons, contractors and our plans again," he added.
John Rainford, manager of Didcot Power Station, added: "We are pleased that the application for Thrupp Lake has finally been rejected.
"The delays have not significantly affected generation at Didcot because of the unexpected buoyancy of the ash recycling market, coupled with the fact that in 2007 less power generation was needed at Didcot due to weather conditions.
"However, securing the option of being able to use and later restore Thrupp Lake was essential.
"We're now reviewing the timetable."
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