Haverhill Town Council addresses appeal by Widdington Recycling on enforcement notice served to it by Suffolk County Council
A town council has addressed an appeal from a recycling centre on an enforcement notice served to it.
At a meeting of Haverhill Town Council’s planning committee on Monday, the appeal to the Secretary of State by Widdington Recycling Ltd, in relation to the company’s site in Falconer Road, next to Spring Rise, was discussed.
The enforcement notice instructed the company to stop accepting and to remove from the land all putrescible (decaying) waste within three days of the notice coming into effect on January 10.
The council agreed to request the Planning Inspectorate hold any inquiry on the matter in Haverhill itself so affected businesses would get a chance to have their say.
It was alleged the company allowed bags of decaying household waste on the site that attracted vermin and flies.
Cllr Joe Mason said: “I’m astounded that they’re wanting to contest it. It’s been a blight on our neighbourhoods.
“I’d be horrified if they had their appeal upheld, it would be appalling.”
The company was accused by Suffolk County Council of breaching seven of the conditions issued when it was given retrospective planning permission in March, 2013, among them starting work before the permitted time of 7.30am and installing floodlighting without permission.
The county council said the site only has permission to store materials arising from demolition activities but has been taking and storing general household, commercial, and garden waste, including putrescible waste.
This has given rise to complaints regarding odours, flies and vermin.
Cllr John Burns said: “I laugh at the reason that they’re going to appeal.
“It’ll be interesting to see what the county council do about this.”
SCC ordered the company to take down and remove buildings - an open sided waste sorting building, weighbridge and weighbridge office, concrete batching plant, storage walling, hardstanding, drainage, boundary fencing/walls and lighting and the associated equipment comprising a silo, concrete mixer trucks and trommel.
