Issue - meetings

Report No:   CAB/FH/15/030

Portfolio Holder: David Bowman               Lead Officer: Mark Walsh

RESOLVED:

That:-

1.   The contents of the report and the summarised feedback from pre-application consultation be noted.

2.   Further pre-application consultation to include the site selection be approved.

(Report No CAB/FH/15/030)

The Cabinet received this report which provided an update on the progress of the joint West Suffolk and Suffolk County Council project, including feasibility and deliverability of a West Suffolk Operational Hub at Hollow Road Farm, Bury St Edmunds, to deliver a combined depot, waste transfer station and Household Waste Recycling Centre for West Suffolk.

The Director explained that public opinion from the Parish Councils and residents in the vicinity of Hollow Road Farm was strongly opposed to the scheme, due to matters such as traffic and safety concerns and residential amenity.  There were also concerns raised regarding the process followed to-date.

Although, some had favoured a split-site and believed that there was evidence to support that model, there was general agreement amongst councillors and many who had taken part in the consultation to-date, that a shared waste and operations hub was still a good concept to explore.

At the St Edmundsbury Borough Council (SEBC) Cabinet meeting held on 23 June 2015, Members had committed to providing more information and carrying out further consultation as to why the Councils had reached the initial conclusion that Hollow Road Farm was the best site and also inviting people to identify alternative and deliverable sites that met the necessary criteria. That consultation would continue later this year and comments and suggestions would be encouraged from across Forest Heath and St Edmundsbury, as well as the immediately neighbouring communities.

However, at the SEBC Council meeting held on 7 July 2015, approval was not given for the funding of £180,000 for the finalisation of the business case (£98,000 FHDC and £82,000 SEBC).  Therefore, it was recommended that Recommendation (3) of this report be withdrawn.  In the meantime, Officers would look at what other steps would need to be undertaken as a result of the decision not to fund further studies at the current time.

Following on from the update provided by the Director, the Cabinet also considered that, having noted the feedback received in response to the pre-application consultation on the proposed siting of the Hub, further consultation should take place before any planning application was made and that this consultation should include the process for site selection.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

RESOLVED:

That:-

1.           The contents of the report and the summarised feedback from pre-application consultation be noted.

2.           Further pre-application consultation to include the site selection be approved.