Agenda item

The Committee considered the report of the Chief Officer (Planning and Environment) in respect of this application which had been the subject of a site visit. The usual consultations had been undertaken and the responses received detailed in the report.  Additional comments received since the preparation of the report were circulated at the meeting, which included the conditions also detailed in the late observations.

            The proposal was for the erection of a waste transfer building on an existing waste management site within an established industrial estate.  The proposal would comprise the erection of a waste transfer building, construction of concrete push walls and the retention of fencing.  The proposal would not result in any change to the nature and tonnage of waste types which could be managed at the site.

            The proposal would see significant improvements to the operation of the site, reducing the impact of the current operation on local amenity by bringing the management of residual household black bag waste within a fully enclosed building.

            The site was located well away from residential properties and whilst distant views of the site would be possible from residential properties along Liverpool Road and Smithy Lane, any impact was not considered sufficient to cause significant harm to residential amenity and the proposed hours of operation would help to minimise the impact of the proposed development on residential amenity.

            The use of the building to accommodate the processing of waste and using machinery would help minimise noise from activities within the site. 

             The activities undertaken at the site had the potential to generate odour and dust and the management of wastes within the proposed building would help the operator control dust and minimise odour.  The building itself would also act as a barrier to dust leaving the site.

            Mr N. Foxhall spoke in support of the application on the following grounds: the company had operated the facility for a number of years and improved and enlarged the site to process waste; fully enclosed building with roller shutter doors; delivery via existing access and no increase to waste delivered to site; improvement to current facility based on enclosed building which would reduce noise, dust and vermin and a hard standing concrete area which would reduce debris from the site; and no objections from statutory consultees.

Councillor Butler proposed the officer recommendation for approval which was duly seconded. He commented on the conditions outlined in the report, particularly in relation to the wheel washing.  Those were also outlined in the comments received from Welsh Government (WG) as outlined in the late observations which he welcomed.

Councillor Wisinger added the proposal would benefit the site as it would be undercover and a good barrier against noise and smell.

Councillor Ellis explained that the complaints about the site had been well documented.  She commented in particular on the mud on the roads, which had been particularly bad over recent weeks, and welcomed the condition on wheel washing for the safety of all road users.  There had also been issues with seagulls and litter escaping from the site and also light pollution; Councillor Ellis suggested that a condition on light pollution could be included.  On odour, she understood Natural Resources Wales (NRW) were responsible for controlling it and she had reported a problem to them the previous day.  She was advised that deodorising equipment should be in operation on site at the moment and asked that this be addressed.  She asked for clarification on hours of operation.

Councillor Peers said the site visit had been beneficial as it demonstrated the odour problem at the site.  On proposed condition number 14 and the provision of wheel wash facilities, he asked when they would be installed as it was clear there was a problem at the moment. 

The officer explained that part of the site that was not concreted generated mud in poor weather conditions which was then tracked out by vehicles. There were current wheel wash facilities on site and that was contained in the current conditions relating to the site in that it should be used by all vehicles leaving the site.  She believed they were not necessarily in the right place on the site at the moment and the operator was contacted on each occasion when a complaint was received and those complaints were acted upon.  It was her view that the best option for this site was to secure a hard standing concreate area.   A condition on wheel washing would be attached to this application should it be approved.

On seagulls and litter, complaints were received in relation to both and this application was the proposed solution to deal with those issues.  It was currently an open building and not fit for purpose in that it did not keep the black bag waste inside hence attracting seagulls and litter escaping.  There was a proposed lighting condition which was outlined in the report as was also the case with proposed hours of operation.  The extended hours of operation which had been secured for the site through application 054536, which was granted on appeal, allowed working between the hours of 06:00 and 19:00 Monday to Saturdays and 10:00 and 17:00 on Sundays for a period of 6 months.  Irrespective of the outcome of the appeal, because the application before Members had been submitted and assessed on the basis of the proposed hours of operation of 07:00 – 18:00 Monday to Saturday with no working Sundays or Christmas Day, except for repair, maintenance and testing which would be carried out between 09:00 – 17:00, it was being recommended that those hours be conditioned.

            On the odour experienced at the site visit, the officer explained that she had contacted the applicant and had been advised that the operation on that day had not been a usual operating scenario as the outlet for black bag waste had been unavailable resulting in waste being stored for longer than usual, as well as it being a particularly warm day.  There was an odour condition as outlined in the late observations.

            In response to a question from Councillor Thomas, the officer clarified that the wheel wash facilities would be moved to near the exit.  The current wheel wash facility was out of the sight of Members on the site visit.

            In summing up, Councillor Butler said this was an opportunity to make improvements on the site and to ensure hard standing concrete on the site and improved wheel washing facilities by re-siting them to overcome current problems on the highway.

            RESOLVED:

That Planning Permission be granted subject to the conditions outlined in the report of Chief Officer (Planning and Environment) including those detailed in the late observations.