Protesters’ joy as waste centre bid is rejected
DELIGHTED protesters applauded mid-meeting as a ‘common sense’ approach saw plans to open a waste recycling centre in a residential area thrown out.
First Choice Waste and Metals wanted to site the centre at Withyfold Drive, Macclesfield for three years, on a premises previously used by a vehicle recovery firm.
A planning application met with huge objections from residents, with more than 500 submitted to Cheshire East Council.
Planning officers had recommended the proposals be refused but ahead of a meeting on Wednesday, August 18, said a revised version - with HGV movements reduced from 70 a day to 50 - should be approved.
But, in a close vote, the council’s strategic planning board refused the application on the grounds of noise and disruption to residents from HGVs.
Councillor Steve Carter, speaking as a visiting member, said: “I have never seen a more inappropriate development.”
He added that there had initially been more than 440 objections from residents ‘whose lives will be blighted by this tip’, and a further 130 objections to the proposed transport plan.
First Choice Waste and Metals Ltd was referred to as Henshaw’s throughout the meeting, as it was owned by the late Joe Henshaw.
It wanted to relocate a large proportion of its existing waste management business from Moss Lane, together with the associated 40 jobs.
The meeting was told the site would deal with dry waste materials.
Coun Carter said: “The current south Macclesfield site smells badly and has been a blight on the community that has built up around it.
“This new site will be the same, and I am stunned that an environmental health expert has suggested that contamination smell will end at the fence line.”
He said the site is at the end of a residential culde-sac and access is through residential streets.
“Streets where children play, streets where children walk to school, to face 12 wheeled vehicles driving along pavements. The dangers to residents are simply intolerable.”
Coun David Edwardes, also speaking as a visiting councillor, said: “The whole thing, quite honestly, appears to be absolutely bonkers to me.”
He said the previous business on the site had used access roads which are now not available to the applicant.
Agent for the development Richard Sims said the applicant had reduced the daily HGV movements.
He said: “This will naturally result in a necessary reduction of the applicant’s business to accommodate this change, however this is a small concession when faced with the very real prospect of ceasing trading altogether and making the entire workforce redundant, should the application be refused.”
Planning officer David Malcolm said because the site already had permission for vehicles to use the poor access and the residential streets, ‘highways are in the unenviable position of saying it’s difficult for us to object to this’.
He said: “The commonsense thing is to refuse this application.
“It’s an inappropriate site - it’s not acceptable because of the access arrangements.
“But the reality is, if this is tested at appeal, then there is that difficult position to say, well actually this site can be accessed 24/7 by any number of vehicles if they wanted to, and that’s the position we have to battle with.”
Committee member Coun Steve Edgar said he would make a commonsense decision.
“I just cannot envisage myself allowing HGVs to go through a residential area, unless it’s for access only,” he said.
Coun Brian Puddicombe moved the application be refused and this was seconded by Coun Mike Hunter.
The application was refused by six votes to five.