Though Buckley was already one big Landfill site!
LANDFILL expansion plans risk turning a town into the ‘dumping capital of Wales’ a councillor has warned.
Buckley Mountain councillor Carol Ellis has expressed serious concerns over plans to expand the operations of two existing landfill sites in the town.
Both Thorncliffe Recycling on Ewloe Barn Industrial Estate and the operators of Parry’s Quarry on Pinfold Lane have pushed to expand their operations in recent months.
Cllr Ellis said: “We are in danger of becoming the dumping capital of Wales here.
“The waste is coming in not just from Flintshire but from all over the north west and Wales and with that comes increased traffic.
“These sites have the potential to be huge and they are just dropping it all in our little community here.”
The Parry’s Quarry site, operated by RJS Civil Engineering Limited, had an application for a permit turned down by Natural Resources Wales last year over concerns about potential odour problems.
They have now lodged a fresh application, based on new technology, meaning a permit could be granted for the site to take 325,000 tonnes of waste every year.
As part of the application, they have also indicated they would like to dispose of asbestos at the site.
Serious concerns have been raised by Cllr Ellis and Buckley Town Council over the quarry operators also applying to Flintshire Council to have several conditions of their planning permission – which was approved on appeal – amended.
In documents submitted to Flintshire Council, the town council said: “The original planning application in relation to this matter was approved by an inspector appointed by the Welsh Assembly Government.
“The approval granted contained a number of conditions that had to be adhered to in proceeding with the approval.
“There had been numerous requests for changes to the conditions which were put in place to protect the environment, the neighbourhood, nearby residents and highways.
“The number of changes requested to the conditions meant the inspector’s approval now bore little resemblance to what the applicant wished to do.”
Thorncliffe Recycling recently had proposals to extend the working hours at the site and increase the height of stockpiles refused by Flintshire Council’s planning committee.
Cllr Ellis added: “We are getting all of the disadvantages with no real advantage. We as a town don’t receive anything from the landfill sites.
“People are really concerned about the plans.”
Alyn and Deeside AM Carl Sargeant also added his concerns to the situation.
In a letter to Flintshire Council’s chief executive Colin Everett, he said: “I have been approached by residents and councillors in Buckley who are deeply concerned that with Thorncliffe Recycling looking to extend its operations and with the Parry’s Quarry situation at the tipping licence stage, the county council is turning Buckley into the waste centre of the county.
“My constituents have long been of the opinion that they do not see enough being done to help regenerate the retail/social side of the area and are worried that the sorts of operations already referred to will do nothing to encourage the regeneration they are looking for.”
Buckley has had a contentious history concerning landfill projects, with a number of different areas used for landfill over the past 30 to 40 years.
Neither Thorncliffe Recycling nor RJS Civil Engineering Limited could be contacted for comment.
SEE-http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/164893/fears-landfill-expansion-plans-will-turn-buckley-into-dumping-capital-of-wales-.aspx
