SITA UK has welcomed a Dorset County Council decision to unanimously approve plans to build a recycling and recovery park in the Purbecks.
The company’s plans for Binnegar Quarry, between Wareham and Bovington, include facilities to recycle up to 122,000 tonnes of waste annually.
The facility will handle a range of materials including garden and organic kitchen products and dry recyclables such as paper, cans and plastic bottles.
The waste will come from west and central Dorset, including Portland and Swanage.
Michael Cox, SITA UK’s Area Manager, said: “SITA UK’s plans for a composting and recycling facility at Binnegar Quarry will play a key role in reducing the amount of material sent to landfill and we’re delighted with the council’s decision.
“We recognise a number of concerns about traffic have been raised during the planning process and we will be working hard with local communities and other interested parties to address these wherever possible.”
The scheme was first submitted as a planning application in July 2007. Since then the company has been consulting with local residents and has carried out further detailed traffic assessments.
The traffic assessments carried out by independent consultants, Mayer Brown, concluded that “there are no highways or transportation related reasons why the development should not be permitted.”
Members of Dorset County Council’s Planning Committee praised SITA UK for agreeing to establish a liaison committee to discuss this, and other issues, as well as the company’s willingness to contribute £381,000 towards improving transport links in the Purbeck area.
Mr Cox said SITA UK will now be studying the planning approval in detail before setting out its planned timetable for development of the site.
