Bridgnorth waste and recycling plant plans approved

Permission has been given to build a recycling plant in Shropshire.

Veolia Environmental Services Ltd applied in November to develop the former ITW sheet-metal warehouse site in Faraday Drive, Bridgnorth.

About 300 objections were lodged about noise, smell and traffic issues and a protest was held by scores of people at the proposed waste site earlier.

The firm said it was the only suitable site in the county and Shropshire councillors approved the plan.

Donald McPhail, Veolia's managing director, said the company had worked hard to submit a detailed planning application that he hoped had addressed most of the residents' concerns about the household waste and recycling centre.

'Support recycling'

He said there were still some "bridges to build" with some of the neighbours in Faraday Drive and he would set up a liaison group with them to address their remaining concerns.

"We don't want to be bad neighbours, we want to be good neighbours," he added.

Veolia will now apply for an environmental permit and operator licence.

Mr McPhail said the firm would tender for construction work which he hoped could start in July and he estimated the plant would be operational by the end of the year.

Darren Burns, a member of Faraday Drive Action Group of residents, businesses and local landowners, said: "This is not an unexpected outcome.

"The issue for us, is we support recycling, we really do want it. But we had plans drawn up to show there were alternative sites that would work for Veolia, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears."

Councillors voted eight to two to approve the plans on Tuesday.