On Monday, 4 April, the council’s planning committee approved the plans, which will replace the existing Blandford site.
The council says the existing site is difficult for some residents to use and “unable to meet the demands of its expanding service”, and the existing transfer station is an adapted grain store in “poor condition”.
The modernised replacement centre is planned to manage increased quantities of waste.
It has been designed on a split level to avoid the need for residents to climb steps to dispose of material.
The waste management centre is to include a new waste transfer station and a household waste and recycling centre to serve Blandford and surrounding villages.
The capacity of the facility would be up to 30,000 – 35,000 tonnes per annum. The transfer station would account for the majority of this capacity with the annual throughput expected to be 24,000-29,000.
‘Public interest’
The proposal for the facility factored in mitigation of its impact on the surrounding landscape. Situated near an area of outstanding natural beauty, native trees will be planted as part of the development to limit any harm to its visual amenity.
The council said it “recognises the impact on the character of the area but considers the development of a modern waste management centre to be in the public interest”.
“It would provide a fit for purpose, safe and accessible facility to serve the growing population,” the local authority said.
Apart from benefits to the residents, the planning application also demonstrated the lack of alternative suitable sites in this location.
“It is considered that adverse impacts on the area would be outweighed by these exceptional circumstances and the development being in the public interest,” the document stated.
HWRC
The HWRC is planned to be split level. It will include a row of vehicle unloading bays, with a central yard at a lower level.
Waste containers would be within the yard, within large sunken container bays accessed via jetties, partially under a canopy which covers the pedestrian area.
This is to enable householders to deposit waste down into the containers without needing to climb steps.
Application
According to the council, the application was advertised in the local press and by site notice. Objection letters were received from five neighbours as well as from the occupiers of Newglaze and Woodlands Dairy.
However, planners approved the plans, which will be operational by 2024.
Dorset council’s waste services team, previously known as the Dorset Waste Partnership, was formed in 2011, bringing together all seven councils within the county of Dorset at the time. Since 1 April 2020, the Dorset Waste Partnership has no longer being used as a name or brand.
Representing a population of 375,000 residents, the Dorset Waste Partnership had a recycling rate of 60.1% in the 2020/21 financial year, which represents the most recent data.
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