The current household recycling centre (HRC) at Mopes Lane works well and is a good example of how things should be. That said, the challenge with the current site is the increasing traffic on roads that are unable to withstand such pressure. The local roads leading to the site are all in need of repairs, and the damaged verges reinstated. Both Transforming Purton Parish and the Purton Parish Plan findings have indicated that this problem of damage to local roads and verges is widely recognised and of considerable concern.
What we are also finding is that this site is being increasingly used by Swindon residents. When HRCs in Swindon are busy, recyclers are re-directed to Mopes Lane. This under-capacity by Swindon Borough Council will be exacerbated by the Tadpole Farm development as it comes on stream. Sufficient recycling provision for Swindon residents should be made available within the borough to avoid “recycling miles” which imposes a greenhouse gas penalty due to those who travel unnecessary distances to recycle.
There is an application in to make the current “temporary” permission a “permanent” one. If it was made permanent then there would be increasing traffic not just from Tadpole Farm but also Ridgeway Farm. Given that there are time limits on the landfill activities at Mopes Lane, and there seems to be little or no interest in taking responsibility for repairing the roads and verges, it seems that the sensible thing would be to align the timescale for the HRC operation with the other waste management activities at Mopes Lane.
Smaller HRC operations are economically viable and could be built in North Swindon. Chip and pin cards or mobile phone scanners could be used by those who recycle to obtain reductions in council tax to encourage further recycling. Swindon Borough Council could then be charged for a contribution to road maintenance, based on their residents’ usage of Mopes Lane. It is time for a bit of innovation and smarter thinking.
In summary, the “permanent” permission should be refused, though a continuance of the existing “temporary” permission should be allowed to the same time limit as other waste management activities at Mopes Lane.
Comments are required by Wiltshire Council by Thursday 13 February, quoting:
13/06800/WCM: Purton HRC Purton Industrial Estate Purton SN5 4HG: Proposed development – Removal of Condition 2 of N.06.07005 – to retain HRC on a permanent basis.
Comments may be sent to: DevelopmentmanagementNorth@wiltshire.gov.uk or by logging on to
http://planning.wiltshire.gov.uk/Northgate/PlanningExplorer/PLComments.aspx?pk=752217
The consultation remains open to Thursday 13 February.
