Eye landfill plan is rejected by Peterborough council

If approved, 220,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste would have been processed each year

Plans to extend a landfill site have been rejected amid traffic concerns.

Proposals to extend the Eyebury Road landfill, in Eye, Peterborough, into Willow Hall Quarry were put forward by Biffa Waste Services.

The company said the extension would help "maintain Eye landfill's long-term role" and provide "important landfill capacity in the region". 

The application was unanimously rejected by Peterborough City Council's planning committee on Tuesday.

If the extension had been approved, 220,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste would have been processed at the landfill site in each year of its operation.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said Christian Hogg, a member of the council's planning committee, was disappointed nobody from the company attended the meeting to answer why they would "ignore officers' recommendations to look at a different route into the site".

Fellow committee member Ishfaq Hussain said this showed a "lack of consideration" for residents of Eyebury Road, who council officers had stated were unable to accept any further HGV movements. 

The council approved a major expansion of Eye village last year on land around Eyebury Road 

In its application Biffa said the expected number of daily trips would not change from the present rate of 180 two-way trips per day as infill on the existing site would be completed before work at the new one would begin. 

But council officers said Eyebury Road was "unsuitable" for "additional HGV traffic" which were "likely to be generated" by the scheme. 

They added that other schemes, such as a Biffa composting plant just off the road, were approved with the understanding that operations at the landfill site would cease.

The council also approved a major expansion of Eye village last year, with more than 250 new homes planned on land around Eyebury Road. 

The application was unanimously rejected by the planning committee on Tuesday.