You can read Sharon's latest Echo column below or on the Sunderland Echo website
I would like to once again thank voters in Washington and Sunderland West for re-electing me in the December General Election.
Whilst the national election result was not as I hoped, I remain as committed as ever to delivering for all of my constituents.
That means standing up for our local area and everyone who lives here.
One of my first appearances in the new Parliament was this week, when I presented a petition to the House of Commons signed by constituents who oppose the building of a gasification plant in Hillthorn Park.
Like thousands of my constituents, I am opposed to the building of this plant in our area.
The main reasons for my opposition to the plant are threefold:
1) The location of the proposed plant is close to houses and schools. It is these communities who will bear the brunt of increased traffic and associated pollution, and who are most at risk should anything go wrong with the plant.
2) The applicants have failed to satisfy any questions from myself and campaigners. We still do not know what technology will be used by the plant if building goes ahead, for example.
3) The proposed plant could be expected to release millions of tonnes of CO2 during the anticipated lifetime of the facility. This will undoubtedly have a negative impact on our environment and climate change.
As I said at the Planning and Highways Committee meeting in July, where the application was rejected, my constituents should not be used as guinea pigs; the health and lives of my constituents should not be gambled with.
Although the planning application was rejected in July by the Planning and Highways Committee, the application is now up for appeal, which will be held for 8 days from 10am on Tuesday 18th February at the Stadium of Light’s Montgomery Suite.
Because so many of my constituents have expressed concern about the planning application, I have written to the Planning Inspectorate and the National Planning Casework Unit to request that the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government recovers the appeal, which if approved, will give the Secretary of State the final say on the application.
I will continue to work with constituents, campaigners and local councillors to oppose this plant and raise this issue in Parliament.
If you would like to get in touch with me about this issue, or any other concerns, please do not hesitate to get in touch with my office on [email protected]. Please provide your full postal address.