Conservative councillors are demanding a referendum on a planning application for a £7m incinerator on the doorstep of a nature reserve.

Conservative deputy group leader and opposition spokesman for planning Coun Tony Shields has written to Sutton Council leader Sean Brennan demanding for the planning application to be put to a local referendum and to be heard in front of the development control committee before the election on May 6.

The 23m chimney incinerator proposed by Beddington Heat and Power would burn 30,000 tonnes of wood at a site just metres away from Beddington Farmlands, which is anticipated to become London's biggest urban nature reserve.

Sutton Green Party fear the wood could be contaminated with chemicals which, when burnt, would release dangerous gases including sulphur dioxide, mercury, lead and hydrogen sulphide.

Coun Shields said: “We believe in letting people decide on the fate of their local area and are therefore calling for a local referendum on the issue.

“We want the Liberal Democrat town hall bosses to give the people a referendum and let them decide on the fate of their local area.

"Just listen to people, that’s what residents want. As councillors, we work for residents, not the other way around.”

The Conservative group expressed concerns about the incinerator increasing traffic flow, which they say will add to existing congestion problems and result in poorer air quality and therefore quality of life.

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Beddington North Coun John Keys said: “The idea of holding a referendum on a planning application is simply nonsense.

"Coun Shields knows perfectly well how the planning process works and is not helping local residents by making this suggestion.

"I share the concerns and worries of the residents in my ward and would urge them to make their voices heard by writing to the council's planning officers about this important issue.

"I am a member of the planning committee that will have to consider this unwelcome application.

"In the circumstances I have decided to withdraw from the planning committee so that I can fully represent local people's concerns 'from the other side of the table' at the committee."

A Sutton Council spokesman said: “It would be unprecedented to hold a public referendum on a planning application in Sutton.

“Planning decisions are made by elected councillors in line with the borough’s planning policy.

"This seeks to balance the needs of local people with the wider demands for new developments in the borough.

“For every planning application there is a statutory period during which people can comment on the proposals.

"People can also request to speak at the development control committee meeting either for or against an application.

“No date has been set for this application to go before the council’s development control committee.”

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