A GOVERNMENT minister and MP for Chipping Barnet says she has “concerns” about the traffic impact of a £100m waste plant planned on the fringes of the borough.

In a letter to a constituent Theresa Villiers MP admitted “I too am gravely concerned about this proposal” for the site at the A406 Pinkham Way, on the border of Friern Barnet.

Thousands of people living in Barnet, Haringey and Enfield have come together to oppose plans for the facility, which will be the largest in Europe, and create thousands more traffic movements every day.

In the letter Ms Villiers, a Tory Transport Minister, says she is also opposing the North London Waste Authority’s (NLWA) scheme, which is going before Haringey Council’s planning committee next month.

She writes: “I am particularly worried about lorry traffic that the site would generate. I will be working with local groups campaigning against the proposals.”

Today she told the Times Series: “I welcome the efforts being made by the NLWA to try to mitigate the environmental impact of their proposals but I remain concerned about the congestion caused by 560 vehicles entering and leaving the site.

“I will also oppose any plans which I feel would detrimentally affect the health of residents. There is a long process before final decisions will be made on what, if anything, is built at Pinkham Way and I would encourage residents to take part and make their views known.”

Ms Villiers has been joined by fellow Minister and Lib Dem MP for Hornsey and Wood Green Lynne Featherstone in criticising the plans.

Last week Ms Featherstone handed a survey to the NWLA showing 97 per cent of local residents feel they have not been consulted properly.

She said: “I hope the authority will consider these views closely before putting in their planning application later in the spring, and I hope that from now on, local residents will get a chance to have a say at every step of the way.”

The NLWA said last week that they will be sending a newsletter to affected residents to “clarify” some of the issues raised.

It added: “There will be a formal consultation process once the planning application has been submitted, during which people can comment formally on our planning application.”