RECYCLING FIRM ORDERED TO STOP NIGHT WORK
VICTORY FOR SLEEP-DEPRIVED RESIDENTS AS RECYCLING FIRM ORDERED TO STOP WORK AT NIGHT
A RECYCLING firm at the centre of a seven-year-long battle with residents has been banned from operating 24 hours a day.
Powerday Plc lost a legal battle with Hillingdon Council and can now no longer carry out waste and recycling operations at night.
The firm, which has had two planning applications to build a new recycling plant on the same site in Tavistock Road, West Drayton, rejected, appealed against a planning enforcement notice issued by the council in June 2015.
The notice required the company to stop using the site as a skip and waste container transport operation between the hours of 6pm and 8am.
John McDonnell joins residents opposed to the building of a large recycling facility
It came after an inspector said that Powerday’s night-time operations between the hours of 11pm and 7am caused “significant harm to neighbours’ living conditions.”
Councillor Keith Burrows, Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling, said: “We are delighted with the Planning Inspectorate’s decision to uphold our enforcement notice.
“It will no doubt come as welcome news to the hundreds of local residents who have long supported our actions to restrict Powerday’s night-time activities.”
The matter was subject to a two part public inquiry, held in February and June 2017.
The proceedings were attended by hundreds of local residents, as well as a number of Hillingdon ward councillors who spoke at the inquiry against Powerday.
The council has had a contract with the firm to run the civic amenity site since 2010, as well as for waste disposal skips and removal of rubble from council operations.
Dismissing Powerday’s appeal through a decision letter issued on Thursday July 27, the inspector upheld the council’s enforcement notice, subject to minor changes to the restrictive hours.
The company is now prevented from operating between the hours of 11pm and 7am.
A West Drayton resident had previously criticised Hillingdon Council after it has emerged the authority paid Powerday Plc over £7m despite issuing an enforcement order against it.
Powerday Plc has been approached for comment.