Recycling centre hopes to expand to reduce fires

Firefighters from Suffolk and Essex attended the large fire which was caused by a discarded battery

A scrap metal yard that was engulfed by a large fire causing disruption to mainline train services has plans to expand its site.

More than 80 firefighters attended a fire at Sackers recycling centre at Great Blakenham near Ipswich on 8 August which was caused by a discarded battery.

The centre has submitted a planning application to Suffolk County Council which it hopes will reduce the risk of large fires in the future.

After the recent fire, David Dodds, chief executive at Sackers, said there would be "further investment" into firefighting equipment at the site.

The application would see the site extend but not increase the amount of material stored there.

Instead, it hopes to create smaller heaps of stored materials which it says will result in a "far lower risk" of large fires.

It says any fires which do occur will be easier to contain and quicker to extinguish and should be easier to identify and manage.

The plans would also see an existing fire damaged building in the centre of the site removed.

By expanding, the scrap metal yard hopes there will be a "far lower risk" of large fires breaking out

Last year the site experienced two other large fires.

Mr Dodds previously told BBC Radio Suffolk the company had "invested a lot of money" into safety procedures.

He said: "We are a production-based business, we want to be producing.

"We do not want these fires, we do not want lithium-ion batteries on our site full stop.

"We want to be good neighbours."

The chief executive said the company would "continue to improve" and invest in fire safety equipment, including thermal imaging fire retention equipment.

"It's a serious amount of money but we're a serious business and we intend to do the job properly," he added.