PLANS to expand a heavy vehicle depot and add a waste processing plant next to a village playground have been met with outrage by residents. Cotswold District Council has submitted a planning application to increase the size of the environmental services depot in Broadway Lane, South Cerney, adding spaces for up to 64 vehicles. Another application has been made to Gloucestershire County Council to add a waste transfer station that could process up to 40,000 tonnes of waste a year. South Cerney residents are worried about the smell, noise and traffic disruption, as well as the effect on tourism and its location so close to a children’s playground. The site, which is run by the council-owned waste company UBICO, is currently used for storing recycling and waste vehicles. If the plans go ahead an extra 20 heavy vehicles would be stored there. The waste processing plant would sort dry recycling such as glass, paper and cans as well as 13,000 tonnes a year of garden and food waste and 15,000 tonnes a year of “residual waste” – waste that cannot be recycled. An extra 101 people would be employed, requiring 44 more car parking spaces. Fears were raised about the proposals at a packed meeting on March 3, at South Cerney village hall. Patricia Bloxham, of Bewick Close, said: “Since the council looked at the area a lot has changed, there are now many more houses, a park, a sailing club. “I think you [the council] have been blinkered in your assumptions – this is a family place with children who will be put in danger.” Claire Locke, head of environmental and commercial services, said that bad odours or contamination would be prevented by sensible management, including processing all organic waste in a covered area. Alan Dickinson, of Swan Close, brought up the road safety issue, quoting the proposals which state that the number of vehicles entering the depot would increase from 19 a day to 324 a day. Ms Locke said trucks would be diverted via the Spine Road to avoid South Cerney village. Public consultation run until March 19.