Veolia compost site plan binned by Telford & Wrekin Council
Waste giant Veolia's hopes of building a composting plant in a country park in Telford have been dashed after councillors threw out their plans.
The waste management company had hoped to use ground next to the landfill site at Granville Country Park, Donnington Wood, to recycle about 52,000 tonnes of waste from Shropshire and 12,500 tonnes of waste from Telford & Wrekin each year.
But members of Telford & Wrekin Council's plans board rejected the application last night saying it was an inappropriate business to set up in the rural location.
Local ward councillor Adrian Lawrence said residents were unhappy at the idea of such a large facility so close to the country park.
"Although we are sympathetic to recycling, there is the feeling that an industrial site should be in an industrial area," he said, "Hortonwood would be a much more suitable location than next to the country park."
Councillor Ian Fletcher spoke out against the scheme at the meeting.
He said: "When I was younger I did enjoy cycling round the country park.
"What is proposed is a dirty great building, a factory unit at one side of it and every 15 minutes a 40 tonne lorry going in and a 40 tonne lorry going out.
"The road improvements Veolia said it would provide would cut into the green network and destroy the amenity value of the scenery.
"Why isn't this nearer to the generators of this rubbish rather than in our country park area?"
Councillor Jackie Loveridge, said: "To think we would have lorries going up and down that road makes me cringe."
But James Cook, speaking for Veolia, told councillors the site would have taken a substantial amount of waste away from landfill.
He said Veolia was willing to work with Shropshire Wildlife Trust. Veolia already operates the landfill site at Granville Road, Donnington Wood, where it has a lease until 2025.
