Following fierce objections from over 700 residents, the Waste Authority was forced to drop plans for the proposed £1 million plant at Holt Lane, Netherley, which now means that Liverpool will have to cope with its one existing facility until a new site can be decided upon.
Defra figures for 2006-2007 reported that nearly 50% of all fly-tipping incidents recorded across England had taken place in Liverpool alone. (see letsrecycle.com story)
The Holt Lane site had been identified as “the best location” for a new facility but had previously been blocked planning permission by Liverpool city council due to public opposition.
Carl Beer, director of Merseyside Waste Dispoal Authority (MWDA), said: “Our job is to act in the best interests of the majority. Liverpool currently has one household waste recycling centre, at Otterspool [to the south of the city], catering to the needs of thousands of people and doing nothing is not an option.”
“We will now be looking at alternative locations so we can meet the significant needs of people across the city for a new household waste recycling centre,” he added.
Rejection
The decision to reject the proposed facility came after the MWDA opposed Liverpool city council's objection to the site, following the public voicing concerns about increased traffic, noise and vermin. The MWDA appealed Liverpool city council's decision and commissioned an independent planning inspector to examine the site.
The inspector, Geoffrey Hill, concluded that while “the proposed scheme would not have an unacceptably harmful impact on those living in Netherley”, the site was too narrow for traffic to be able to pass in and out without having an impact on other businesses currently operating at Wheathills Industrial Estate, where the proposed site would be built.
Mr Beer said, “There are no perfect solutions in waste management and there will always be people who feel inconvenienced by what we do.”
Centres
The lack of household waste and recycling centres in the area has been highlighted by the MWDA, with SITA UK and Veolia currently competing for the management of the Authority's 13 sites .The contract, which is one of two contracts being tendered as part of the MWDA's £3 billion PFI scheme, also includes the provision for the development of future household and waste recycling sites within the Authority. (see letsrecycle.com story)
Currently, Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority operates 25 sites across its remit, which is 12 more than Merseyside, while the city of Leeds in itself – although with a larger population than Liverpool – has 11 household waste and recycling sites available to its residents compared to Liverpool's one.
Residents to the north of the city can make use of the South Sefton waste and recycling centre, while those in the east can use Huyton in Knowsley, however the MWDA is keen to establish another site for the city itself. Seven other sites within Liverpool had been considered before Holt Lane was selected – Newton Road, Lister Drive, Walton Hall Avenue, Long Lane Depot, Gillmoss, Banks Road, and Goodlass Road – however, there are currently no sites under consideration.
Fly-tipping
In preparation for the proposed Holt Lane site, the MWDA had produced an abundance of material for residents, including computer generated images of its design and 31,000 leaflets outlining its intended use, with the hope that the introduction of the centre would help ease the strain being placed on Otterspool, which is currently running at “over-capacity.”
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