Campaigners begin frantic search for new recycling site
Campaigners have begun their frantic search for alternative locations for a waste recycling plant to prevent it from being built in their village.
People in Abermule, near Newtown, are fighting hard to prevent Powys County Council from building the facility on land they purchased from the Welsh Government.
Planning permission was granted earlier this year, however locals have accused the council of hardly consulting them and only revealing the scale of the facility after permission was granted.
A fiery meeting on Tuesday evening saw around 250 locals bombarded the council's leader and deputy leader, as well as portfolio holder for waste Phyl Davies.
After accusations of lies and claims they weren't being listened to, residents walked out in frustration before Councillor Davies agreed a four month moratorium on the build, giving campaigners a chance to find alternative locations in the north of the county.
Slammed
Chair of action group Abermule Communities Together Jeff Mathews slammed the authority, stating it was a done deal that will destroy the village.
He has said that work is beginning straight away to find an alternative site, to push the development away from the village.
He said: "This is a moral victory in name only, we need to work fast and find this site for the council and take the plant away from Abermule - there’s still every chance that this building will start to go up in the summer next year."
The council want to build the facility for Welsh Government targets, but villagers say recycling and the process of it shouldn't be anywhere near a village.
People grilled the councillors, as well as environment officer Nigel Brinn, with some residents claiming everything was done underhand and pushed through as quick as possible.
Group chair Steve Meadowcroft added: "Clearly they had not come to listen to us and were hell bent on repeating the same tired old message we have all heard before – the whole thing was a farce."
