AN award-winning company which has invested £1m in a new centre of excellence at its North East base is at the forefront of a protest campaign against plans to set up a waste recycling operation nearby.
AAF Ltd is one of about 40 local businesses which have objected to the bid by civil engineering firm Owen Pugh Contracts to open the recycling centre for demolition and construction waste on an industrial estate in Cramlington, Northumberland.
The firm has recently spent £1m on creating a new research and development centre for air filtration technology at its Cramlington site, which employs 350 people, to help it win more contracts in emerging markets.
It says it can only operate its business in a clean air environment, and fears that it will suffer dust and dirt pollution from the proposed waste-handling facility, which would be only 35 metres away.
AAF is one of dozens of companies which have submitted objections to Northumberland County Council against the proposal, which is being recommended for approval by planning officers next week.
Owen Pugh Contracts, which is involved in waste management, demolition and earth-moving work, wants to open the recycling centre on an eight-acre site on the Bassington Lane industrial estate.
The plan involves importing 250,000 tonnes of construction and demolition waste to the site each year. It would then be screened, crushed and sorted before being taken away for use in the building trade. A report to the county council planning and environment committee says the operation would involve up to 300 lorry movements a day in and out of the site.
There have been 14 letters of objection – one signed by 25 companies – from local businesses or their representatives. Most are located on the Nelson Park West and Easter Park areas of the estate.
They say the recycling complex will create problems of dust, noise and extra traffic congestion, and also fear it will lower the tone of the area and put off other businesses from investing there.
Bob Carling, general manager of AAF Ltd, said: ”Our new R&D facility is just across the road from this site. There are testing facilities there and the air intakes are facing the site. There is sensitive equipment involved and if this crushing operation goes ahead we are expecting that a lot of the dust will come towards our building and threaten it.
“This is a real and genuine concern for us, as well as the excessive traffic involved. We are a global business and having a crushing machine next door doesn’t look very good or give the right image .”
A letter from the Bazaar Group, which is based at Easter Park, says the development will bring “completely unacceptable levels of airborne pollution.”
A report to the planning committee says officers feel the waste recycling centre will not harm the image and perception of the estate if the site is properly screened and measures are put in place to manage noise and dust. The operator would have to apply for an environmental permit that would control dust emissions from the site.
Officers also say the proposal fits in with policies designed to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill.
No one from Owen Pugh Contracts could be contacted for a comment yesterday.
