Wrong site for waste

Plans for a waste-transfer station near homes have been opposed by Newark town councillors.

Members of the planning committee yesterday said it would cause too much traffic congestion and air pollution.

Veolia Environmental Services, the waste disposal contractor for Nottinghamshire County Council, has submitted plans for the facility on Brunel Drive, next to a recently-approved county council recycling centre.

Mr Tony Roberts said there had not been enough consultation.

He said: “We already have the smell from British Sugar to contend with and people on the eastern side of town are rightly concerned that air quality is already poor with the A1 being so close. These concerns must be addressed.”

The committee chairman, Mr Peter Foster, said the application was not in the interests of Newark people.

“This is going to cause big problems in terms of traffic congestion for people living in the area,” he said.

Mr Dean Hyde said the waste-transfer station should be as far away from homes as possible.

It is the second time the firm has tried to site a waste facility on the estate. A previous joint application with the county council for a waste-transfer station and a recycling centre on Telford Drive was withdrawn in November.

The waste station would deal with about 60,000 tonnes a year and would be in operation for more than 20 years.

It would deal with recyclable waste from the silver bins, rubbish from household green bins, and green waste from the new brown bins.

It would take street sweepings waste, commercial and industrial waste, and left over waste that cannot be recycled from the centre next door.

Veolia’s agents, Waterman Energy, Environment and Design Ltd, say the development would have a negligible impact on air quality and the increase in the number of lorries would be relatively small.

The town councillors’ comments will be forwarded to the county council, which will decide the application.