Cublington residents relieved as extended use of waste site rejected

A controversial recommendation to increase vehicle movements and working hours at a Cublington waste site has been voted against.

Community members were up in arms last year when they contacted the LBO about a planning application submitted to Buckinghamshire Council which sought to extend the hours of operation at Lockharts Farm Waste Recycling Facility, Wing Road, from 7am to 5pm Mondays to Fridays (the start time is currently 8am).

It also sought to increase the permitted daily HGV movements from 24 movements (12 in, 12 out) to 60 (30 in, 30 out).

It was recommended for approval by an officers’ report to a meeting of North Buckinghamshire Area Planning Committee on December 15. Although, following a debate, the decision was deferred.

However, at a meeting of the North Buckinghamshire Area Planning Committee on Wednesday, March 9, the recommendation was voted against.

Buckinghamshire Councillor Diana Blamires, of Wing ward, told the LBO: said: “The committee voted against the recommendation but the meeting was then suspended and deferred so reasons can be drawn up at the next meeting as to why it was refused.

“The vote will stand but it hasn’t been recorded formally yet because of the meeting being deferred.”

In the previous article, the LBO reported that up to 12 military veterans at any one time live in an ex-army home 300m from the site.

Cllr Blamires concluded: “A concerted campaign by the Unitary and Parish Councillors and residents of Cublington, Wing, Aston Abbotts and Whitchurch brought about this decision.

“The majority of veterans at the home suffer from PTSD or similar anxiety disorders. They have served our country.

“The veterans are there because they have really serious problems and sudden loud noises can trigger their PTSD.

“They are there to recover not suffer even more as a result of disturbance from a crushing factory on their doorstep.

“Cublington simply isn’t the right place for a processing plant seeking to increase the number of lorry movements down country lanes which are already perilous due to too many lorries using them.”

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