Approval for former Ellesmere farm buildings to become TV recycling centre

The plan to convert the former equestrian buildings at Park House Farm, Lower Hordley, into a waste electrical component recycling centre was approved by Shropshire Council planners, despite opposition from the parish council and some residents.

The scheme will see the applicant Daniel Yeomans’ existing business expand into the former indoor equestrian arena, with around 5,000 tonnes of waste electronics per year set to be brought in.

According to a supporting statement from Vision Recycling Ltd, 12 jobs are expected to be created by the expansion, involving the “handling and processing of the televisions, their dismantling, storage, packing and dispatch”, with the business set to provide a minibus shuttle for employees.

“The proposed development would greatly exceed the requirement to divert waste away from landfill,” they said.

“Although there are no statutory targets, it would ensure that 10 per cent of the managed Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) is reused, at the very top of the waste hierarchy, and at twice the rate of current national performance. Of the residual, all would remain within the UK with 80% being recycled, only 10 per cent going for recovery and nothing at all to landfill.

“The proposed development represents an opportunity to continue to support the local economy and would provide benefits that far outweigh any impacts.”

The application received 15 objections, while nine people responded in support of the proposal, welcoming potential job opportunities and the environmental benefits of the recycling scheme.

However, Hordley Parish Council registered a “strong objection” to the scheme, saying its size and nature made it unsuitable for its proposed rural location, adding that traffic coming to and from the site would result in “misery” for residents.

“[The application] must be rejected on the grounds that it is not a suitable location for the size and type of operation for a rural location,” it said.

“The council is extremely concerned as to the impact of an increase in traffic movements. Contrary to the statement in the Concept Planning Document stating that the road from Lower Hordley to Bagley is in a good condition, this road is in fact a narrow, winding lane in a poor state of repair, with potholes and sunken drain covers.

“Any increase in vehicle movements would only add to these problems and the misery of residents.”

In a report recommending the approval of the scheme, Shropshire Council planning case officer Melanie Williams said that although the proposal was “finely balanced”, the benefits of the scheme outweighed any potential harm to the environment.

“Although local policy would require waste transfer stations to be sited on industrial estates, national guidance would recognise that rural areas may be suitable to accommodate such development, which also involved the reuse of redundant agricultural buildings,” she said.

“It is considered that the scale of the proposed business and the use of the existing buildings for storage and employment space would not unduly harm the neighbouring amenity and would not be detrimental to highway safety.”

The scheme was approved, subject to the construction of a noise-preventing ‘acoustic gate’ on the site.