A MUM-TO-BE made a tearful appeal when more than 200 people attended a Barry Town Council meeting to discuss an independent incinerator report.

Johanna Knight, who lives on the Barry Waterfront, made her emotional request as councillors held a special meeting at the Memo to discuss a Capita report on Biomass UK No. 2 Ltd’s application to operate its Woodham Road plant.

Barry Town Council had asked the consultant to state its view so the authority could make an informed response to Natural Resources Wales’s (NRW) public consultation on whether to grant the licence.

The consultation closes on Monday, May 8, but NRW told the Barry & District News it would take on board the views before seeking further information from Biomass UK.

It would then launch another consultation, with a new deadline, based on the information received.

Mrs Knight, 33, told the audience that she and her husband had not known about the incinerator plan.

She said: “This is so upsetting. It’s being built so close to Dow Corning with a lot of chemicals. If this ever catches fire? I don’t want to see Dow Corning burn. We moved to the Waterfront without knowing about this. I’m just worried.”

Following the meeting, Alexis Liosatos, of the Dock’s Incinerator Action Group (DIAG), said the group are grateful to the council for commissioning this report and welcome the main findings.

She added: “However, there are still several areas of Biomass's plans that need to be reviewed. We would like the town council to commission further independent research into the fire risks, and also the potential impact of the incinerator on the health of the most vulnerable people such as children, asthmatics and COPD sufferers. We would also like them to commission site-specific wind data in order to challenge Biomass's reliance on wind data from Cardiff Airport. This Capita report is an important milestone and we are heartened by the town council's support.”