‘We will fight any Powerday appeal’
Refusal decision awaiting approval from mayor
THE leader of Hillingdon Council has vowed to take ‘robust and appropriate’ action if an appeal is launched against a decision to block the controversial Powerday recycling plant in West Drayton.
After intense debate on June 21, the council opted to throw out the planning application for a new recycling centre near West Drayton High Street.
Council leader Ray Puddifoot said the decision is still waiting approval from the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, but he said the council will defend the ruling if applicants Powerday Plc opt to appeal.
Cllr Puddifoot said: “As I’ve mentioned on many occasions in this chamber of the last 16 years, one of the reasons that I became a councillor was to defend the residents of this borough against inappropriate development.
“The Conservative administration in Hillingdon has an enviable record of defending its residents in this area.
“As with any inappropriate development this administration will take robust and appropriate action, utilising our adequate financial resources as required to defend the planning committee’s decisions if Powerday chooses to appeal.”
His comments were prompted at a full council meeting held in Uxbridge on Thursday July 7 after a question from West Drayton ward councillor Jan Sweeting.
Cllr Sweeting’s question read: “What support will the council provide the residents of Yiewsley and West Drayton in the likely event that Powerday appeals the decision made by the major applications planning committee regarding Powerday’s plans to build an industrial waste plant on the Old Coal Yard site, Yiewsley?”
The MP for Hayes and Harlington and shadow chancellor John McDonnell backs the residents’ opposition to the development.
Powerday’s application would have seen a recovery and recycling building built on the site just off Tavistock Road, as well as storage vats, car parking, infrastructure and fencing.
But the application was unanimously blocked by the major applications committee because of its impact on highways, transport and air quality.