Campaigners in Sutton Bridge were celebrating last week after an appeal over the decision to refuse an asphalt plant was thrown out.
Franklin Bros Limited had wanted to build the ‘semi-mobile facility at Greenworld Park, off the A17 south of the town.
But in January South Holland District Council’s Planning Committee voted to refuse the application on the grounds it was an ‘inappropriate use’ ‘out of keeping and failing to respect local character’, as well as due to the noise aspect.
The applicant appealed this, but despite submitting its own noise survey, Mr J Smith of the planning inspectorate said in his report dismissing the appeal: “The development is expected to alter the acoustic character of the area, with noise being audible and likely to influence the behaviour of residential occupants.”
It also noted an ‘odour assessment’ did not take into account potential effects on Sutton Bridge Memorial Park.”
“To summarise, the proposed development would have a harmful effect upon the living conditions of neighbouring occupants and residents of the surrounding area, with particular regard to noise and odour,” the report concludes.
Craig Jackson, who chaired the Bridge Against Pollution group which campaigned against the proposal, said:
“This is a victory for common sense and people power,.
“The asphalt plant would have been the wrong type of development in the wrong location.
“The planners have made the right decision in the best interests of Sutton Bridge and local residents.”
