Residents object to metal recycling site plans

The application, submitted by JBM Metal Recycling, seeks to change the use of Unit G2 on White Lee Road Industrial Estate to a scrap metal processing site. The company began operating in September last year without prior planning consent, according to a report by the council’s planning officers.

The unit was previously approved for general industrial or storage use.

The proposal has drawn ten formal objections from nearby residents, raising concerns over safety, noise, visual impact, and parking.

Objectors cited two recent fires at the facility, which led to evacuations across the wider industrial estate, as evidence the site poses a safety risk. The visual appearance of the yard, where metal is stored in open piles, was also described as unsightly by objectors.

There were also concerns raised about noise, particularly from the 360° grab machine used to sort metal. While the site is screened by a railway embankment, residents argued that a tunnel beneath the tracks may channel sound into neighbouring residential areas.

Parking and traffic issues were also highlighted. Neighbours allege that the business lacks sufficient on-site parking, resulting in vehicles obstructing their land.

In response, the council’s Environmental Health Officer (EHO) reviewed a detailed noise impact assessment submitted by the applicant. The assessment was conducted on a worst-case basis, assuming continuous use of the loudest machinery, and found the likely increase in background noise to be a low adverse impact.

While residents questioned the adequacy of the noise monitoring process, the EHO confirmed that the methodology complied with national standards and that the monitoring location was appropriate. The embankment was found to reduce noise, and sound escaping through the tunnel was said to divert away from most residential properties.

To address these concerns, council planning officers have recommended a number of conditions be imposed if the application is approved: Operating hours will be limited to 8am–4.30pm Monday to Friday and 8am–midday Saturday, with no operations on Sundays, only one grab machine will be allowed to operate on site at any given time, and material storage will be restricted to a height of three metres and must be contained within designated bays.

The council’s transport department did not raise any objections, noting that the site is located within an established industrial area and has adequate space for deliveries and staff parking. They confirmed that most parking issues reported relate to private land disputes, which fall outside the remit of planning enforcement.

Visually, the storage yard is set back from the road and not prominently visible from public viewpoints. With the storage conditions in place, the visual impact is not considered significant enough to justify refusal, according to the report.

Planning officers concluded that, subject to conditions, the proposal complies with local planning policies and national guidance, and have recommended that the application be approved.

The final decision will be made at the upcoming planning board meeting on May 1.