Rubbish recycling plant in Market Drayton gets the go-ahead

Applicant, Market Drayton-based AR Richards, has been granted planning permission to turn the former Greenvale AP site in Warrant Road, Stoke Heath, near Market Drayton, into a material recovery facility dealing with more than 187,000 tonnes of rubbish per year.

The specialised plant would receive rubbish such as glass, garden waste, farm waste, clothes and asbestos and turn them into recyclable materials.

Members of Shropshire Council's north planning committee approved the plans at Shirehall on Tuesday on the basis strict conditions are met.

These include a condition to create a complaints procedure, a condition to test the levels of noise the external crusher produces before allowing it to take place and also restrict the external crusher to be used five days a week from 10am until 4pm.

At the meeting residents and councillors raised their concerns over noise and environmental worries about the plans.

Councillor Peter Waters, member of Stoke-on-Tern Parish Council, said: "We do not object to the operation but just to the location as it is very close to housing.

"We are very concerned about the crushing as we are worried dust particles will get into the air and may damaged the health of residents.

"Also some of the waste will contain asbestoses that could be crushed and spread to the gardens next door.

"There will also be a huge rise in traffic movement which is concerning. There will be one vehicle every two minutes using the site.

"This application is a serious risk to health, pollution and noise."

Mandy Stoker, representing AR Richards said the site has an environment permit which would manage the site and protect residents.

She said: "This is a well engineered site which is set up to deal with water, waste and traffic.

"It fits in with government policy to take waste and sort it into new products.

"AR Richards has a good reputation and have been running a similar site in Tern Hill for seven years with no issues.

"They have a good record of being a good neighbour."

Councillor Steve Davenport, Shropshire councillor for St Martins, said: "I recently visited a site with a crusher and I can tell you it is noisy. This is going to be a hell hole."

However most councillors agreed they would support the plans if a condition was put on to limit the times crushing takes place.