THE WEEK IN East Bristol & North East Somerset FREE Issue 595 25th September 2019 Read by more than 40,000 people each week Odour, noise and traffic fears over waste plant expansion Serious concerns including bad smells affecting thousands Local councillors and residents have lodged formal New company Resourceful Earth Anaerobic Ltd is now of Keynsham homes and a surge in traffic are being raised objections to the plans for the old Queen Charlton quarry site seeking to reopen the site and increase capacity from the about plans by a new company to take over the abandoned at Charlton Field Lane which was not fully built when it approved 25,000 tonnes of organic material per annum to Resourceful Earth waste-to-power plant and quadruple the closed suddenly in October 2017 when administrators were 92,000 tonnes. The application includes mention of scale of operations. appointed. mitigation measures to control noise and odour. But principal planning for development management at B&NES Council, Chris Gomm, is warning of “significant odour” from the scheme which would affect not just properties close by but in the wider Keynsham area. And with 116 proposed HGV movements per day, which would include movements before 8am and after 6pm, Mr Gomm says the effect of the increase in traffic in terms of road safety, traffic flow, suitability of roads, air quality, noise and health could be significant. In addition, he warns: “Movement of large volumes of maize will generate dust and the rotting process is likely to create significant volumes of Aspergillus spores. This has the potential to give rise to significant effects on human and animal health.” He says a number of items of plant are proposed which, when operating simultaneously, could potentially have significant noise (and health) effects on properties nearby and the wider Keynsham area and adds that it is not clear whether measures proposed to manage surface water are adequate. As a result of the concerns, B&NES has ordered the applicant to carry out an environmental impact assessment. Councillors Alan Hale and Lisa O’Brien, who represent Keynsham South on B&NES, and Cllr Paul May, who represents Publow with Whitchurch, have raised objections Continued on page 3 Also in this Clampdown on Council backs Keynsham No public meeting over Petition over Royate Hill Kingswood fly tipping toilets scheme Oldland school field plans chicane week’s issue . page 3 . page 5 . page 7 . page 17 2 The Week in • Wednesday 25th September 2019 Plans spark odour, Crackdown on fly-tipping noise and traffic fears in Kingswood street Continued from page 1 A crackdown has been launched to report cases immediately. about the impact on their communities. They tackle the problem of fly-tipping in a Cllr Reid said that besides having to look have met Mr Gomm to discuss their Kingswood street. at an eyesore, London Street residents concerns. Since May, fly-tipped waste has been have a health hazard on their doorstep: Cllr Hale said: “The development is within cleared twice from London Street and local “I’m appalled to hear that people have the Green Belt and their application is councillor Andrea Reid said she been driving to London Street specifically retrospective as the original permission was understood that people have been driving to fly-tip. If they can drive a car surely, breached in a number of ways. The process there specifically to fly-tip. they can drive to a Sort It centre and of the business will be to bring in food waste The first clearance took five StreetCare dispose of the rubbish properly.” and crops specifically grown to be allowed staff three hours to clear - a big strain on The councillors have also asked residents to rot down and produce a gas to power a south. resources. to report fly-tipping immediately - either generator to provide electricity. We Publow with Pensford Parish Council has Cllr Reid and fellow ward councillor April online at www.southglos.gov.uk/flytipping understand that annually 92,000 tonnes of also lodged an objection, saying the site is Begley are now working with local or by informing StreetCare at organic material will be brought to the site, unsuitable as it floods and heavy traffic will residents to stop it once and for all. [email protected] or by comprising of 24,000 tonnes of maize silage, cause major issues at the site junction, in Leaflets have been delivered to households phoning 01454 868000. 15,000 tonnes of agricultural waste, 25,000 Keynsham and in the lanes to Pensford and to provide advice on the issue of fly- Offenders can be fined up to £50,000 and tonnes of commercial/industrial food waste, at the junction of the A37. tipping and the councillors urge people to face five years in prison. 25,000 tonnes of vegetable waste and 3,000 Parish councillors say the process and tonnes of Glycerol. potential smell will impact negatively on the “It is suggested there could be a lorry homes and affect the value of properties. arriving every seven minutes of the working Cllr Hale says people can email comments day. Every lorry will have to travel through and objections (reference 19/02919/MINW) Keynsham via Charlton Road or the lanes to development_management@bathnes. from Whitchurch - Wells Road.” gov.uk He says “without a doubt” the new A spokesman for Resourceful Earth’s developments – The Meadows, Bilbie Green, administrators RSM Restructuring Advisory Charlton Fields and the Bloor development LLP said they are in negotiations with an - as well as Park Estate and the Lays Drive interested party to sell the site. He said a area will be the residents who will suffer the planning application has been submitted but most regarding the forecast smell as they sit could not comment further on concerns in the line of the prevailing wind from the raised. The Week in • Wednesday 25th September 2019 3 Keynsham group wins new community award Residents of Tintagel work in their community launching these Curo associations or organising Close in Keynsham were without the recognition Community Awards, others litter picks. The housing the winners of the they deserve. We wanted to will be inspired to get association has grants of up inaugural Curo highlight some of the involved, or even perhaps to £500 available for Community Award, residents who are often nominate others, in years to initiatives that benefit Curo receiving £500 to spend on unrecognised community come.” residents. Find out more by further neighbourhood champions; people who Curo can help residents to calling Curo on 01225 initiatives. make their communities get more involved in their 366000 or visiting Sharon Tucker, chair of better places to live. community, for example by www.curo-group.co.uk/get Tintagel Close Residents’ “We also hope that in setting up residents’ involved. Association, was presented with the award by Curo’s chair Liz Potter at the housing association’s annual residents’ confer- ence held last week. Curo’s chief executive Victor da Cunha said: “We know that many people do amazing THE WEEK IN Barrs Court, Bitton, Brislington, Cadbury Heath, Compton Dando, Corston, Downend, Emersons Green, Fishponds, Hanham, Hillfields, Keynsham, Kingswood, Longwell Green, Mangotsfield, Marksbury, North Common, Oldland Common, Pucklechurch, Saltford, Staple Hill, Stockwood, St George, Warmley, Whitchurch, Wick, Willsbridge. 16,000 copies are distributed through retail outlets, libraries, pubs, community centres each week. Verified pick-up rate of 97%. Publisher Keynsham & Saltford Times Ltd, 8 Temple Court, Keynsham. 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A copy of this procedure can be found on our website or can be sent upon written request to the address above. 4 The Week in • Wednesday 25th September 2019 Town council supports free toilet scheme Keynsham Town Council is backing the establishments in Keynsham town centre that alternative facilities were provided at the scheme in which members of the public which welcome members of the public to use new library building. In Issue 582 (26th can use toilet facilities at commercial their facilities free of charge, indicated by a June) we reported the Royal Society for outlets without having to make a blue and white window sticker. These are Public Health’s claim that one in five people purchase. The Ship Inn and Temple Street Canteen on don’t go out as often as they would like for At last week’s council meeting it was agreed Temple Street, along with Grounded, Dalia fear of not being able to find a public toilet. to support outlets signed up to the Cocina and the Old Bank pub on the High That figure doubled for those with medical programme with £200 a year towards their Street. Free toilet facilities are also available conditions. costs in providing the services. at Tesco and the library and One Stop Shop Reacting to the decision by Keynsham Town The Free WC programme was launched last on Market Walk. Council to support businesses which offered year by local councillors Andy Wait and Hal The public toilets on Ashton Way closed in free toilet facilities, Andy Wait said: "I am Macfie.