The waste paper and cardboard recovery and transfer facility will process approximately 275-300 tonnes per week of waste paper and waste cardboard, which equates to approximately 15,000 tonnes per annum.
The site will also see 174 “movements” from heavy goods vehicles per week.
As part of the process, Guildford borough council responded to the consultation and commented that as the site is located within the Green Belt, and it is considered as an inappropriate form of development, “the proposal should not be approved except in very special circumstances”.
And, there were also concerns from the Pirbright Parish Council which described the location as “inappropriate” as well as expressing concern over windblown litter.
Capacity
The Surrey Waste Plan 2008 states that planning permissions will be granted to “enable sufficient waste management capacity to be provided to manage the equivalent of the waste arising in Surrey”. It will also be granted to achieve the regional targets for recycling, composting, recovery and diversion from landfill by ensuring a range of facilities is permitted.
The waste plan states that proposals for waste facilities on unallocated sites will be considered in accordance by giving priority to industrial/ employment sites, particularly those in urban areas, and to any other suitable urban sites. “Priority will also be given over greenfield”, the plan says.
The site, Cobbett Hill Earth Station, is not an allocated site of the SWP 2008. However, it is an active industrial site and lies on the metropolitan green belt.
The Environment Agency, Thames Water, Natural England and the County Noise Consultant were among those who had no objections or comments.
Baling
TGM has its head office in Charlton, London. The company’s proposals for the Surrey site outlined that the new development would include a waste reception area, a storage bay for bales, an operation area including a baling plant and conveyor and a weighbridge. It was further stated that 66 letters were received in response to the plans, all of which objected to the development.
Robert White, operations manager for TGM explained in the planning committee meeting that a similar centre in Leatherhead, which he stated the company were forced to move from after 20 years, had operated successfully and he vowed that the company would be “good neighbours” in Normandy.
Mr White said to the committee: “I would like to reassure them that our operations are managed to the highest environmental standards and controls in our industry.”
The plans were passed by a majority decision.
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