Plans for recycling centre thrown out for third time
Proposal ‘would have brought misery and danger to area’
CONTROVERSIAL plans to develop land near West Drayton’s High Street to build a new recycling centre were thrown out for a third time at a meeting on Tuesday June 21.
The application, submitted by recycling company Powerday Plc, would have seen a recovery and recycling building, storage bays and associated car parking, landscaping, fencing and infrastructure built just off Tavistock Road.
But Hillingdon Council’s major application committee unanimously voted to refuse the application due to the impact on highways, transport and air quality.
West Drayton ward councillor Dominic Gilham said: “I’m over the moon.
“It would decimated our Street.
“The council has done an awful lot of work and delivered for our have High residents. We’ve protected our high streets, which is the main thing”.
The application was a re-submission of an application that was also refused by the council in March 2014 and planning officers had recommended the scheme to be thrown out again.
A total of 231 residents wrote letters of objection to the council and a petition opposing the development attracted more than 3,000 signatures.
Planning consultant Adrian James, from Barton Willmore, spoke at the meeting on behalf of Powerday.
He said: “There are no alternative sites in the west London area to accommodate a facility of this type.
“After the refusal we have sought to reduce the capacity.
“There are alternative sites in west London area no the to accommodate a facility of this type.”
Mr James urged the council to defer the decision in light of the council officers’ recommendation to refuse the permission.
But after 90 minutes of discussion in the council chambers at the Civic Centre, in Uxbridge High Street, the committee proceeded with the decision.
Ward councillor for West Drayton Jan Sweeting, who is also secretary for the Garden City Estate Residents’ Association, addressed the chamber to oppose the plans.
She said: “The 24 hours a day working would mean there would be no respite from the noise and industrial workings of this plant.
“We fervently believe, if passed, [this plant] would bring misery and danger to the people of Yiewsley and West Drayton, cause traffic gridlock in our streets, harm the lives of local people and damage many, many local businesses both big and small.”
John McDonnell, MP for Hayes the and Harlington and shadow chancellor, backed residents’ opposition to the development and attended the meeting to show his support.
Yiewsley ward councillor Peter Davis also told the chamber that Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP Boris Johnson had written to him to say he was backing his constituents. He added: “We are united in opposition to this application.”
Powerday was fined £1.2 million in April for storing and depositing 17,000 tonnes of waste illegally.