MCC Landfill loses its appeal for Egham site
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• The Transport Tribunal has rejected an appeal by MCG Landfill (Contractors), against a Licensing Authority's decision to refuse its application for a five-vehicle licence based at Padd Farm, Hurst Lane, Eghamon on environmental grounds. The application had been opposed by Runnymede Borough Council and Surrey County Council.
They maintained the proposed site was within the Metropolitan green belt and was designated for agricultural use. They pointed out there -would be environmental disturbance to residents near the site, in what was a high-density residential area, and they expressed concern about noise caused by the vehicle maintenance on the site. They maintained the site had not previously been authorised for use as an operating centre and that it was considered to be environmentally unsuitable.
Evidence was given that the proposed operating centre was a former landfill site which had been used as a borrow pit in con nection with motorway construction. Much of it had been restored to agricutural use.
The South Eastern & Metropolitan Deputy Licensing Authority John Stevenson con
eluded that the site was unsuitable for use as an operating centre on environmental grounds, and it would be wrong to allow an operating centre to be established in what was an agricultural unit within the green belt.
Before the Tribunal, Ralph Cropper, for the company, argued that granting the licence would not result in any material change in use, considering that over the past 20 years the site had been used as an excavation site and subsequently a landfill site. He pointed out that there were four other operators either next to or near the site.
Dismissing the appeal, the Tribunal said three of the four operators in the area were found by the DLA to be totally different because they either involved agricultural operations or, in one case, no more than an overnight parking which meant one movement in and out each day In contrast, MCG's operations would probably involve up to 50 movements in and out each day and the DLA had found that there would be environmental damage caused by those movements and the noise, and because of the performance of major maintenance on the site.
The Tribunal could find no grounds on which the DLA's decision could be justly criticised.