Ware Town Council response to Pre-Submission – Waste Site Allocations Document
Ref: para 6.6, Allocated Site AS014 Presdales Pit
Question 5 (a) Continuation page 1
Ware Town Council objects to this site being included in the Site Allocations for the following
reasons:
Location
The location of this site is not appropriate for any kind of waste processing. It is in close proximity to
a residential area, 4 schools, recreational land and an employment area, which would all be
adversely affected by traffic, noise, dust, smells , rodents and flies from the suggested uses. Two of
the schools are for children with special needs and/or learning difficulties and medical opinion
should be sought in relation to any likely effect on these children. The site is also in the designated
green belt. There must be more suitable sites away from residential areas.
Suggested uses:
a) Waste Transfer Station (dry recyclables)
This would result in constant lorry movements, mud on the road, noise, dust nuisance and
windblown litter on trees and verges, such as occurs on the A414 between Hertingfordbury and
Hatfield.
b) Materials Recovery Facility (dry recyclables)
Unless the process is undercover, when it rains there is likely to be toxic run-off and this needs
to be collected carefully. Again, this will result in constant lorry movements.
c) Inert Waste Recycling
This process will require storage bays and tanks and will also result in plant and lorry
movements causing noise, dust and pollution.
d) Anaerobic Digestion
As stated in the document, this use would require additional mitigation measures which
suggests that this is not an appropriate location.
Anaerobic plants operate without oxygen. They are considered a crude method of waste
treatment, requiring regular maintenance and have difficulty meeting the Royal Standard of
Effluent (Biological Oxygen Demand and Suspended Solids). As with all sewage treatment
facilities, they are intrusive because they generate smell, fly and rodent nuisance and have a
constant noise hum. They cannot take shock loads, ie at times of storm. Therefore storm tanks
have to be constructed and these are a safety hazard for trespassers and the untrained. The
methane gas generated as a result of the digestion process is a health and safety hazard
requiring careful management. The disposal of effluent from the plant (the discharge after
treatment) has to be carefully controlled. They need to be opened up and cleared of nonbiodegradable matter, which causes nuisance as tankers have to take the matter away to
incinerators or landfill or large aerobic treatment works for blending, resulting in more lorry
movements, noise, dust and pollution. The digestion tanks are visually intrusive.
Ware Town Council response to Pre-Submission – Waste Site Allocations Document
Ref: para 6.6, Allocated Site AS014 Presdales Pit
Question 5 (a) Continuation page 2
e)
In-vessel Composting
As stated in the document, this use would require additional mitigation measures which
suggests that this is not an appropriate location.
Vessels can be a health & safety hazard. The process generates smell, fly and rodent infestation
and can have toxic residue if not managed properly.
f)
Open Windrow Composting
As stated in the document, this use would require additional mitigation measures which
suggests that this is not an appropriate location.
This creates the same nuisances as in-vessel composting but with the additional potential of
damage to water sources, which is recognised in the document.
Water Contamination (resulting from uses (d) to (f))
The document recognises that the groundwater source has to be protected. Although this site is an
old gravel pit, it is situated on top of a hill. Engineers do not design treatment works to be
constructed on top of hills. They are also normally constructed away from habitation. The geology
of the area is gravel overlying chalk with possible lenses of peat. There are no rivers or
watercourses in the proximity and if the effluent is to be discharged into the ground, an extremely
high level of control will be required. The contours of the land slope towards the New River, a
major water supply route serving London. Pumping stations along the river pump groundwater
from the chalk from over 300 metres down and discharge that water into the New River.
Environmental Impact
The document emphasises the need to protect Post Wood, however, Presdales Pit itself is a wildlife
haven.