17/10/07 - Ashfield Tyres Decision

Cllrs Disappointed by Ashfield Decision

Test Valley Borough Councillors Caroline Nokes and Ian Hibberd were joined by local residents and Parish Council Chairman Teresa Hibberd at today's Hampshire County Council Regulatory Committee where a decision was made on the application for a permanent tyre shredding facility.

In the slot permitted for public participation the local ward Councillors emphasised a number of issues, the discrepancies between the number of tyres on site and the permitted limit, the fact that the site did not have a valid Environment Agency license, the noise and smells and the residential amenity of local people.

After the committee voted 7/6 to allow the application Cllr Nokes said:

"This is a very disappointing outcome.  I was shocked that the County Planning Officers dismissed the amenity of local people so readily.  They should try living in the properties affected by the mosquitoes that breed on the site.  imagine what it must be like to not be able to use our garden or open the windows in summer?

The granting of permission simply regularises an unauthorised use, which would never have been planned to be put in a location like this, and is wholly unsuitable.

"Given the complete failure of the applicants to adhere to conditions previously imposed I have no confidence that they will do so now."