Hatrick of Waste Planning Successes

Technia Environment and Planning is celebrating a hat trick of successful consents for the development of potentially controversial waste transfer and recycling projects in and around Bridgend, South Wales, which may not have succeeded without the professional support of our plannning team.

Of the three, the most recent was located close to another waste facility and quarry, requiring a consideration of potential cumulative noise, dust and odour impacts in the planning process. Following detailed surveys and the adoption of changes to the site design and mitigation measures such as screening and other noise attenuation, that were developed by our team, the potential difficulties were overcome and the project approved.

A second consent was for a waste transfer station which undertook waste removal and void clearances for councils, businesses and members of the public.  What made this application potentially difficult was that the site was situated directly adjacent to a food processing facility.  Through dialogue with the local authority and provision of assessments and detailed operational information the TEPL team were able to demonstrate that the facility could operate without negative impact on the adjacent site.

The final consent was perhaps the most challenging of all – a major wood recycling business which deals with a large number of contracts for local area authorities across South Wales.  It needed to reorganize and expand into an adjacent plot, construct new building and introduce wood-fuelled boilers and drying processes,  Being located in the countryside, the development faced objections both from an ecological perspective (air quality, noise, fugitive emissions) and the area’s use as a local amenity.  This was an extremely sensitive development, but following the provision of extensive surveys and modelling, and a number of local community engagement initiatives, including a public exhibition, we finally gained the support of much of the local community and the development received planning consent.

As Stuart Watcham, TEPL's MD explains:

'Technia Environment and Planning specialises in dealing with difficult waste or renewable energy developments, and finding solutions to engage with and overcome technical challenges and concerns in local communities.  In many instances technical issues can be resolved through appropriate site design and operational management.  Furthermore, local concerns are more often than not based on perceived impact rather than the likelihood of an actual impact.  Through open communication and comprehensive consultation, we have repeatedly demonstrated our ability to allay public concerns and secure support for contentious developments.

I am delighted that we are assisting in the achievement of Wales’s recycling targets by continuing to enable the development of essential new recycling infrastructure across South East Wales.'