A MAJOR overhaul of High Heavens Household Recycling Centre could see the existing Dano building demolished in favour of a new facility and several other key operations implemented, including new operating hours.
Bucks Council is seeking permission to demolish the Dano building at High Heavens and having once reconfigured the entire Clay Lane site, build a new food waste handling facility.
Its proposed operational hours will be Mondays to Fridays 7:30am-6pm, Saturdays 8am-5pm, and Sundays 8:30am-1pm.
PICTURED: What the proposed waste site could look like
The site is currently used for waste management, including recycling.
Food waste is currently deposited in the Dano building before going to an anaerobic digestion site.
As part of a planning application, the authority also hopes to build a new office/gatehouse at High Heavens.
Plans mention 12 new waste handling bays for green, glass, wood, and bulky waste, and two weighbridges.
A food waste tank, fire hydrant water tanks (already built), a wheel wash, and some ancillary tanks are also planned.
Some hardstanding, a soil bund, and fencing are also mentioned.
READ MORE: Major new plans for former Park and Ride site ‘should be approved without delay’
PICTURED: A map of the area
No changes are proposed to site access from Clay Lane.
A 26-space car park is also planned, but none are electric.
“The proposed development is designed to facilitate the forecasted increase in waste requiring management over the next 20 years,” according to a council document.
It goes on to say the changes should facilitate management of up to 106,000 tonnes of waste per year.
“It is considered this development is in the public interest, exceptional circumstances have been demonstrated and therefore the development should be approved,” the report states.
Claims that Bucks Council has “swept aside” earlier conditions?
However, Great Marlow Parish Council objects.
It called the application “short-sighted”, claiming Bucks Council had “abandoned” objectives and benefits in an original scheme.
“The revised scheme will provide in-house processing of food waste only which on the projected tonnages will mean some 80 per cent of processing operations will be performed outside,” it wrote.
It also claimed this earlier condition had been “swept aside”: “With the exception of glass, all waste shall be stored, sorted, or otherwise processed inside the waste transfer building to protect the visual amenity of the Chilterns AONB and prevent nuisance to the local community by way of noise, odour, pests, vermin and litter.”
It added: “If some 80 per cent of processing is to be outside, then the impact on the local community and environment will be extremely adverse.”
It also claimed there had been a “failure to adequately consult with local residents and businesses most severely impacted” by waste tonnages, vehicle movements and design.
The parish council also said there should be no changes to the existing operating hours and that the speed limit on Clay Lane should be reduced to 30mph.
The matter is due for debate during a Strategic Sites Committee, on April 8.
“Subject to no over-riding objections being received from outstanding consultations”, committee members are “invited to indicate support”, subject to conditions.
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