DC Casebook: Waste Management - Feed processing found unsustainable

Planning, 9 May 2008

The processing of waste bread began in 2003, when the farm had a dairy and beef herd. The inspector observed that the only permanent visual evidence of the use was a modestly sized piece of machinery attached to one of the barns that compacted and baled plastic wrappings. She accepted that this use had a negligible impact on openness and did not constitute inappropriate development in the green belt.

The appellant contended that the operation diverted a key waste from landfill and that recycling food waste for a commercial purpose met government aims to treat waste as a resource. But the inspector noted that the waste had previously been taken to a facility in Leicestershire, so no specific waste diversion or economic benefits could be directly attributed to the development. She also noted that the facility lacked ready access to the main road network.

In the absence of firmer evidence as to the origin of the waste, the inspector was not satisfied that the operation accorded with the aim of managing waste close to its source. She observed that the plastic wrappings littering a neighbouring bridleway and further afield were most unsightly. She considered that the scheme failed to minimise its impact on the local environment and judged that vehicle noise had a significant adverse effect on nearby residents' living conditions.

DCS Number 100-054-632

Inspector Kath Ellison; Inquiry.