The New Inn Area Action Group NAG is to hold a meeting on Thursday 19th April to collect signatures in protest to the Shanks Planning application to build an anaerobic food waste digester(bio -gas plant) at their site in Pontyfelin lane New Inn. The meeting is to be held at PILCS from 6pm to 9pm. The process is intended to process food waste from Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent areas producing compost and bio gas(methane) which can be burned and used to to generate electricity which is then fed into the national grid.

Labour Councillors voted against a previous Shanks for an MBT waste plant on the site in 2008. Although the planning application was passed by the Council the scheme never implemented as one of the planning conditions of approval was that if Torfaen CBC did not use MBT technology it could not go ahead.

Labour Candidates in this year's elections are opposed to a food waste plant being built on the Shanks site and will vote against the planning application if elected. Other candidates have not yet declared which way they would vote.