Plastics recycling facility changes at Area 13 Ince Resource Recovery Park, Ellesmere Port

What was proposed

The application sought changes to an approved plastics recycling facility, including revised buildings, five silos, more HGV movements and fewer parking spaces.

“The application proposes amendments to the approved planning permission, 20/04396/FUL for a Plastics Recycling Facility. The application states that these have resulted from the detailed engineering design process. The changes include the relocation of a ‘Goods In’ building, the addition of five 20m-high silos, a proposed increase to the number of HGVs allowed to access the facility and a reduction in parking spaces.”

“Changes to the layout and design of the facility, including the requirement for additional structures are proposed which require the approved layout and elevations to refer to revised layout, elevational, floorplan and cross-sectional drawings set out under Condition 2.”

Officer report

The site and surroundings

The site is Plot 13 within Protos, surrounded by industrial and energy facilities, with nearby public rights of way, cycle routes and residential properties.

“The site lies within the boundary of the wider Ince Park Site, a Resource Recovery Park (RRP) known as ‘Protos’. Protos extends across approximately 134 hectares of land at Ince Marshes and has outline permission (the RRP permission) for an integrated waste re-processing and management facility, an energy from waste facility, and an Environmental Technologies Complex to be developed on a ‘plot by plot’ basis, organized around principal infrastructure and a landscape…”

“The site is located at Plot 13 of Protos which was allocated for use as a Resource Recovery Business Centre. The consented development (20/04396/FUL) on Plot 13, construction of a Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Plastics Recycling Facility (PETPRF) for the supply of food grade recycled PET into the plastic manufacturing sector, has been implemented by carrying out construction of the approved building.”

Officer report

Planning history

The wider resource recovery park and the plastics recycling facility already had planning permissions, and construction of the facility had begun.

“Appeal decision ref. APP/ZO645/A/07/2059609 granted outline permission in August 2009 for a resource recovery park (RRP) now known as ‘Protos’. The RRP permission included an Integrated Waste Management Facility and Environmental Technologies Complex with a range of proposed uses including various resource recovery facilities as well as energy from waste uses and associated infrastructure and transport links including rail and dock infrastructure.”

“The Resource Recovery Facility (Plastics Recycling Facility) 20/04396/FUL was granted planning permission by the Planning Committee on 6 th April 2021. Planning permission was issued on12 May 2021 and the permission has been implemented. The following discharge of condition applications have been granted:”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended approval because the changes were consistent with the existing permission and would not create unacceptable highway, environmental, landscape or amenity impacts.

“Section 73 of the Town and Country Planning Act allows the local planning authority to grant applications to remove or vary conditions on an earlier planning permission unconditionally or subject to different conditions or to refuse to remove or vary the condition if they decide the original condition should continue. The approval of an application under section 73 would result in a new planning permission.”

“The NPPF states that development should only be prevented or refused on highways grounds if there would be an unacceptable impact on highway safety, or the residual cumulative impacts on the road network would be severe.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

Ince Parish Council objected to increased HGV movements, while other consultees generally raised no objection, subject to specified conditions.

“Ince Parish Council: Object to increased HGV movements.”

“Helsby Parish Council: Neither objects to nor supports the application. Comments include 1. Clarification of heights of proposed buildings, 2. Visual impact of solar panels on roof from view points such as Helsby Hill and clarification of output, 3. Noise levels are unchanged, 4, Changes to landscaping acceptable, 5. Increase in HGV’s to remain within Protos cap.”

Officer report

Public representations

No representations were received following site and press notices.

“Representations (e.g. in response to neighbour notification/advertisement):”

“Notice has been posted on site and in the local press. No representation has been received.”

Officer report

Who spoke

The applicant spoke on the application, and the site had been inspected remotely the previous day.

Members’ discussion

Members discussed possible breaches of the Protos HGV cap and whether a rail link could then be required or reviewed.

“Members discussed the highways impact of the increased HGV movements, the proposed development would bring. On this point, members enquired on the possibility, that if the increased HGV movements were to be in consistent breach, of the overall cap of the HGV movements under the Protos planning permission (14/02277/S73) could there be a demand for the rail link to be introduced. Officers confirmed that there was a condition which placed a cap on HGV movements.”

Minutes

The vote

Members unanimously approved the application subject to the conditions set out in the officer recommendation.

“A proposal to approve the application subject to conditions within the report was passed unanimously…”

Minutes