Representatives from Rose Energy, the company intending to build the incinerator, and 'Communities Against Lough Neagh Incinerator', the residents group opposing the move, met with Lisburn City Council's Planning Committee on Wednesday evening.
More than 80 members of the public packed the Lisburn City Council Chamber in support of the community group and gave a thunderous round of applause for Councillor Jim Dillon and Councillor Jenny Palmer when they proposed and seconded the vote for a public enquiry which was carried almost unanimously. The only dissenting voice was Councillor Cecil Calvert of the TUV.
Ray Clarke, Chairman of the Communities Against the Lough Neagh Incinerator told the Planning Committee: "We need our elected representatives to rigorously challenge and interrogate every aspect of a proposal of this magnitude, particularly one that could have a massively detrimental effect on our community and a disastrous ripple effect on the agri-food industry, the tourism industry and our economy as a whole.
"This issue is too big, too serious and with too many consequences to allow us to be emotionally blackmailed into a rash, ill considered decision that is deadline driven."
Rose Energy's chief executive, Osvaldo Mauro-Hun offered reassurances that similar plants in Great Britain have been working safely and successfully for over 10 years.
"While there is clearly some opposition to our plans, we have also received a huge amount of support," he continued. "Over 14,000 letters have been sent to public representatives by those supporting our proposals, and many politicians and key industry stakeholders have also voiced their support. We believe that our project offers a long-term, sustainable solution for our agri-food industry, and also represents a major step forward for Northern Ireland in terms of renewable energy generation. We understand that people in the vicinity of the proposed plant are resistant to change and have concerns about the impact of the plant, and we also recognise that some will not be convinced on the merits of our proposals no matter what we say. We continue to do everything we can to alleviate potential concerns."