Town council objects to waste recycling plant plan

Members of Ludlow Town Council said they remained unconvinced

A town council has objected to plans for a plant to recycle green waste.

Shropshire Council's proposal, submitted last month, is to turn a former anaerobic digester at the Ludlow Business Park site into a unit producing biochar, a form of charcoal.

At a Ludlow Town Council meeting, one councillor said she would like "a better survey", while the impact of increased traffic in Parrys Road was also highlighted.

Tony Higgins from EnviroConsult, which is working alongside the council, said the impacts caused by the biochar production process included dust, odours and noise, but these would be mitigated.

The installation at the business park site, off Coder Road, will allow the creation of biochar from imported green waste, wood and compost materials. 

It is part of a £2m investment the council is putting into locally manufactured biochar-producing pyrolysis plants.

All modes of operation had been assessed and impacts were compliant with World Health Organization daytime and nighttime guidance, Mr Higgins said.

Town council members said they remained unconvinced.

"They did a survey on the effects of birds and breeding, and apparently it was done during the day and they heard what the birds were doing," said councillor Beverley Waite.

"I would like there to be a better survey."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.