HILLINGDON UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN - London Borough ...

Waste Recycling and Disposal
13.35 The term 'waste' encompasses a very wide range of materials, but all waste represents a discarded
capital cost to the producer and consumer, and imposes further disposal costs. Consequently wherever
waste arises in quantity there are already potential financial incentives to recycle or recover energy. The
private sector already recycles substantial tonnages which never enter the general waste stream, particularly
construction and demolition wastes. Many recycling activities, however, whilst contributing positively to
the concept of 'sustainable development' by reducing the call on new materials, are unpopular with the
public primarily because of low operational standards adversely impacting on amenity. Many of these
categories of land uses, such as concrete crushing, soil screening, car breakers etc, find it difficult to obtain
permanent authorised sites, this being due in part to the poor operational standards of the industries, but
also due to high land costs in West London. It is a characteristic of all such operations that a large area of
land is used and that profit per hectare is low, making it difficult for operators to compete with uses that
command a much higher profit. These factors coupled with erratic markets for recycled or reclaimed
materials and variable profit margins conspire to make it unattractive for operators to invest in better plant,
buildings or operating practices, creating a vicious circle where public acceptance of expansion of activity
or relocation becomes progressively more difficult. It is necessary to break this cycle decisively if there is
to be more recycling.
13.36 The difficulties in identifying sites located close to both markets and sources of waste in an urban
area in competition with more lucrative land uses justifies policies to retain existing facilities if there is a
reasonable prospect of their continued use taking place in an environmentally acceptable manner, provided
other policy considerations of the Plan are respected unless equally convenient alternative facilities can be
made available in the locality. Consideration will also be given to proposals to undertake recycling and
energy recovery at mineral/landfill sites on a temporary basis where it would not increase the duration of
that activity or its adverse impact. The Local Planning Authority recognises that the south of the Borough
in particular is experiencing increasing pressure from this type of land use. When resources permit a
further and more detailed study of this aspect of land usage will be undertaken.
MIN16 THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY IN CONSIDERING DEVELOPMENT
PROPOSALS WILL ENCOURAGE THE PROVISION AND IMPROVEMENT OF PREMISES
AND FACILITIES FOR EFFICIENT AND ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE DISPOSAL,
RECYCLING, ENERGY RECOVERY OR OTHER HANDLING AND TREATMENT OF WASTE
MATERIALS, SUBJECT TO OTHER POLICIES IN THE PLAN.
MIN17 THE LOCAL PLANNING AUTHORITY WILL, SUBJECT TO APPLICANTS BEING
ABLE TO ESTABLISH THAT THEIR PROPOSALS ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
POLICIES IN THIS PLAN AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS, REGARD
CONCRETE CRUSHING/SOIL SCREENING PLANTS ACCEPTABLE IN BROAD PRINCIPLE
IN THE FOLLOWING CIRCUMSTANCES:-
(i)
(ii)
AT PERMITTED MINERALS EXTRACTION SITES WHICH INCLUDE A LICENCED
WASTE DISPOSAL FACILITY WHERE THERE IS GOOD ACCESS TO THE
PRIMARY ROAD NETWORK. ANY PERMISSION WILL BE GRANTED FOR THE
LIFE OF THE EXTRACTION AND LANDFILLING;
THEREAFTER THE PLANT MUST BE REMOVED IN ITS ENTIRETY AND LAND
RESTORED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN APPROVED RESTORATION AND
AFTERCARE SCHEME. APPLICANTS MUST ESTABLISH THAT THE PRESENCE
OF SUCH A PLANT WILL NOT SIGNIFICANTLY EXTEND THE TIME IN WHICH IT
TAKES TO RESTORE THE LANDFILL FACILITY TO WHICH IT IS ALLIED;
TO MEET TEMPORARY NEEDS GENERATED BY MAJOR CONSTRUCTION
PROJECTS. ANY PERMISSION WILL ONLY BE GRANTED FOR THE DURATION
OF THE PROJECT; THEREAFTER THE PLANT MUST BE REMOVED IN ITS
ENTIRETY AND THE LAND RESTORED IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN APPROVED
RESTORATION AND AFTERCARE SCHEME;
London Borough of Hillingdon Unitary Development Plan