Landfill site fury

Oct 2 2008 by Mark Smith, Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News

FURIOUS Widnes residents are up in arms over fresh proposals to establish a landfill site on their doorsteps.

A planning application to expand Bold Heath Quarry – near Derby Road – into a building waste landfill site was thrown out by St Helens Council in November last year on the grounds of “traffic, dust and air quality concerns”.

But the applicant, D Morgan, has now submitted a scaled-down version of the original plan, which would see 1.06 million cubic metres of sand being removed and replaced with waste from building sites.

The quarry has been out of action since 2003, but residents fear St Helens planning chiefs may give the scheme the green light.

Halton MP Derek Twigg, Farnworth’s three councillors, and a residents’ action group have already voiced their opposition to the scheme.

Cllr Phil Balmer (Farnworth), said: “We’ve been through this before and we don’t want it back.

“It will bring an increase in HGV traffic, sand and dust.”

A spokesman for the Bold Heath Action Committee, which has been set up to oppose the plans, said: “Nobody can guarantee that the building materials will be available to go to landfill, so we could be left with a great big hole for years to come.

“People in Widnes hear the names Bold Heath and St Helens and think this is not going to effect them, but it will.

“St Helens council will make the decision, but Widnes residents will have to live with it.

“Nobody wants to live next to a landfill site.”

D Morgan was unavailable for comment.

The action group can be contacted on 0151 424 4812.

Objections can be made to Melanie Hale (planning officer) at St Helens Council.