Parishes kick up stink over Composting Site (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Parishes kick up stink over Composting Site

PARISH councils in the South Cotswolds are presenting a united front against plans to build a composting plant near Fairford.

The Sunhill Action Group (SAG), which has just launched a campaign website, is meeting on a fortnightly basis to discuss the controversial proposal to process kitchen waste into farm and garden compost at a site in Sunhill.

Committee members are even recruiting specialist advice on the subject, which they hope to put before Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) on April 5.

Local residents fear the new plant will create serious hygiene and traffic problems for the area. Obnoxious smells are of particular concern.

Paul Lilly, of Quenington Parish Council, said: "We want to protect the health and safety of people living and working in communities close to the Sunhill site and from the associated impact of HGV traffic.

"But we want to emphasise that we are not against composting, we just want to know more information. We want to know everything is above board, and we are feeling that it's not at the moment."

GCC was expected to give the Sunhill plant the green light last month. But councillors decided to put the application on hold until further environmental studies could be carried out after more than 50 protestors turned up at Shire Hall.

Now the application will not be decided upon until the summer. In the mean time, the SAG is busy writing to around 2,500 local residents to keep them abreast of the issue.

Financial pledges are also being chased up, and the £5,000 needed to fund the campaign group has nearly been reached.

Mr Lilly added: "Someone was telling me that they have never known ten parish councils coming together in this way.

"It shows that local councils are the best form of democracy - there's no party politics involved, we just look after the people."

Nevertheless, Cotswold MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown has already lent his support to the campaigners, calling for further traffic assessments to be carried out.

Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for the Cotswolds has also promised to meet with concerned residents.

Mark Dempsey, who until recently worked as an environmental researcher at the University of Gloucester, said: "It's very important these developments are subject to proper inspection to ensure they meet the required standards.

"However, we must build new facilities if we are to be a sustainable society.

"We all must take responsibility for our waste because our disposal to the landfill sites is a major environmental problem."

For more information about the SAG visit www.sunhillactiongroup.co.uk