Plans for a plastic chemicals recycling centre with energy recovery plant in Worksop that have engendered strong opposition locally are recommended for approval by Nottinghamshire County Council planners on November 3.

The planning and rights of way committee will consider the plans by Envale UK Limited for a former recycling site on Shireoaks Road.

A recommendation for permission to be granted for the scheme is subject to conditions including a Section 106 agreement.

Bassetlaw District Council has opposed the plans, along with a protest group that formed to fight the development, SRAPP - Shireoaks and Rhodesia Against Plastic Pyrolysis.

Nottinghamshire County Council planners will consider a scheme for a controversial plastic chemicals recycling plant at Worksop on November 3.

placeholder image — Nottinghamshire County Council planners will consider a scheme for a controversial plastic chemicals recycling plant at Worksop on November 3.

Lesley Deamer, chair of Rhodesia Parish Council and member of SRAPP said: “We are deeply disappointed by the recommendation for approval, but our fight is far from over.

"More than 900 objections have been submitted, and our message remains clear: this is the wrong development in the wrong location.

She added: "We will be standing shoulder to shoulder with our residents at the Planning Committee, urging councillors to listen to the communities who will live with the consequences of this decision.

"A recommendation is not a final decision. We have fought tirelessly to protect our community, and we will continue to do so.

"Our residents deserve better, and we are not giving up.”

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 with new homes and businesses since the original waste facility was permitted in 2006, with concerns about potential emissions, pollution and possible long-term effects on nearby residents, fire and explosion risks, and potential impact on local businesses from industrial activity, traffic, noise, and odour.

The 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.

Both the Environment Agency and the county council’s highways officers have raised no objection to the application, subject to conditions.

Planning officers feel that benefits from the scheme would be through recovering materials from waste and bringing previously developed land back into use, and that any effects on traffic, noise and neighbouring properties would be acceptable with administered controls.

A greenhouse gas assessment concludes that the proposed development would have a ‘minor adverse’ climate impact over a 20-year assessment period, and a specialist consultant appointed on behalf of the planning authority is in agreement.

The planning meeting at 10.30am on November 3 at the county council’s Oak House will be broadcast via You Tube.