Plans rejected for Hermitage waste recycling unit

Councillors rejected the proposal for Harwood Recycling Ltd to process waste at the Red Shute Hill Industrial Estate after residents argued the operation would generate waste and noise pollution and lead to further traffic problems on the narrow bridge on Red Shute Hill.
Resident Christopher Marriage told members of the Western Area Planning Committee last Wednesday that the local road system was already reaching saturation point.
And he added: “The high amount of waste will also attract vermin. This small rural site is too small for this kind of operation.
“Waste by its very nature creates problems. I firmly believe this is wrong.”
The site was due to handle waste at a rate of 18,000 tonnes per annum (TPA) which concerned Hilary Cole (Con, Chieveley) along with the quantity of waste coming into West Berkshire.
She said: “I do not think consideration has been given to the storage of material.
“There is also the issue of traffic over the bridge. You come face-to-face with delivery lorries and I do not see why local people should have to deal with this increase in traffic.”
Planning agent Kevin Parr, representing Harwood Recycling, said the site would have an 18 mile collection radius, a relatively small area.
He explained any material not recycled would be quarantined and that environmental health officers had no objections to the proposal.
The committee heard from minerals and waste planning officer at WBC Matt Meldrum that: “This is a small amount of waste compared with other sites.”
He stated the recycling centre at Padworth deals with 75,000 TPA while the site at Aldermaston deals with 40,000 TPA.
Cold Ash parish councillor Geoff Findlay said the impact on the local economy should be considered as H.S. Pipequipment Ltd was also based at the site.
The company stated in an objection letter that it would have to relocate if the proposal went ahead as it supplies valves to the oil and gas industry which has stringent environmental standards.
Mr Findlay said: The area would lose 20 jobs for the sake of four.”
The council rejected the application six to two.