Maidenhead & Windsor

The Windsor and Maidenhead Royal Borough has welcomed the decision by the Environment Agency (EA) to turn down a proposal that could have doubled waste recycling operations at a site in Wraysbury.

The EA’s decision to refuse the application by Charles Morris (Fertilisers) of Hythe End Farm, Wraysbury, to modify its waste management licence follows robust objections from the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough on behalf of local residents, who complained about noise, dust and vibration and nuisance from plant and machinery operating around the site. HEAT (Hythe End Action Team) also responded on these issues on behalf of residents.

Cllr Derek Wilson, Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough lead member for planning, said: “We are absolutely delighted that the Environment Agency has supported us in our objections to this application.

“The council and local ward councillors have worked long and hard with local residents in recent years to resolve a number of issues relating to operations at this site.

“We felt strongly that this proposal would have been hugely inappropriate, not only in terms of the proposed scale of the operation but more importantly for the impact on the quality of life of local residents.

“This is very positive news for the residents of Hythe End – and shows what can be achieved when the council responds to residents’ concerns and works together with them to resolve individual issues.”

The recent application by Charles Morris to modify its waste management licence sought to:
· double the amount of waste that could be received at the site every year from 125,000 to 250,000 tonnes
· introduce a six-fold increase in the total amount of waste that could be stored on the site from 160 to 1,000 tonnes

In a letter to the EA, the Windsor and Maidenhead Royal Borough objected to the application on the following grounds:
· adverse environmental impacts – residents had complained of noise, dust and vibration and an increase in the amount of traffic taking waste material to and from the site
· adverse impacts on the highway infrastructure – the council considered the local highway network unsuitable for the extra HGV traffic which would be generated by the licence extension
· highway safety – the extra traffic would mean the need for significant safety improvements to address the risk of further accidents in an area with an already poor accident record
· planning implications – the doubling of operations would result in the need for more development on the site which could conflict with existing planning policy
· development pressures – the council had concerns about the “sheer scale” of the proposed increase in activity, the subsequent long-term plans for the site and the resulting adverse environmental impacts.

Charles Collins, HEAT chairman, said: “HEAT raised objections through letters and petitions signed by local residents relating to traffic and flooding safety and the further destruction of the environment which over recent years has seen the original farm turned into an eyesore and health risk to residents.

“We are delighted that the Environment Agency listened to the voice of residents and rejected the application on September 29 ‘for the purpose of preventing serious detriment to the amenity of the locality’.”

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead