Campaigners against plastic recycling centre in Worksop to attend planners' meeting
A residents' protest group against plans to develop a plastic recycling plant at a site on Shireoaks Road, Worksop, hope that the long-standing application will be turned down by Nottinghamshire Council Council next month.
The Council's planning committee is set to consider the plans from Envale UK Limited, with partner company Refiniti, for the development of a Plastic Chemical Recycling Facility and Energy Recovery Facility with Integrated Materials Recovery Area, on November 3.
Members of the SRAPP group - Shireoaks and Rhodesia Against Plastic Pyrolysis, plan to attend the meeting once it has been confirmed.
Lesley Deemer, representing the group that gathered over 1,000 objections to the plans, said: "It will be interesting to see what is recommended regarding this application.
"There is a great strength of feeling against it."
Bassetlaw District Council, and Bassetlaw MP Jo White previously objected to the controversial scheme.
The proposed development includes a plastic pyrolysis facility, an energy recovery plant, waste processing operations and a 30-metre emissions stack.
Objections from the surrounding community focus on how the surrounding area has changed since the original waste facility was permitted in 2006, with considerable residential, retail and commercial development nearby, on concerns about potential emissions and pollution, fire and explosion risks, and potential impact on local businesses from industrial activity, traffic, noise, and odour.
Further to these are concerns about the wildlife and environment, and questions about where the waste will originate, whether the facility is needed in this location and the reliability of the claimed carbon and environmental benefits.
SRAPP has worked extensively to examine the application, submit objections, challenge technical assessments and raise awareness among residents.
With the application expected to be considered by Nottinghamshire County Council's Planning and Rights of Way Committee on November 3, 2026, SRAPP is preparing to represent the community directly.
Lesley Deemer said: "The community is not questioning the need for responsible waste management but whether an industrial facility of this nature is appropriate so close to established homes, businesses and recreational areas.
"SRAPP is calling on Nottinghamshire County Council to carefully consider the evidence, the changing character of the area and the concerns of local residents when determining the application."
The Refiniti plastic recycling centre aims to divert up to 20,000 tonnes of non-recyclable plastic per year using chemical recycling and pyrolysis to turn waste into raw materials, while Envale UK's energy recovery facility aims to divert up to 24,369 tonnes of residual waste annually, generating 2.5 MW of electricity (enough for over 650 homes) and 10 MW of heat.
There are projections that the scheme could create 80 construction jobs and 30 operational jobs.
The plans include associated development featuring car parking, boundary treatment and fencing, hard and soft landscaping and ecological enhancement.