12.1. Justification of Part 1 Policy
12.1.1. Government advice requires that development plans should make provision for an adequate network of waste management facilities while taking into account environmental considerations and having due regard for the waste disposal plan for the area. In view of the difficulty in finding land suitable for a landfill site, it is likely that the majority of the County Borough’s waste arisings will continue to be exported to sites outside the County Borough boundary. Arrangements for waste management will be reviewed in relation to future proposals for sub-regional disposal in order to achieve a more sustainable strategy for waste disposal. Sites for collecting and recycling waste material will have to be found to ensure that facilities are available to provide for sustainable waste management practices as set out in the waste hierarchy of reduction, re-use, recovery and recycling and lastly, safe disposal.
12.2.1. The County Borough Council is responsible for waste collection and disposal and for waste planning, but not for waste regulation which is the function of the Environment Agency. The Unitary Development Plan needs to set out the land use strategy for waste disposal and make provision for waste management facilities in accord with central government guidance and advice. The development of the Materials Recovery and Energy Centre (MREC) at Crymlyn Burrows, Port Talbot, incorporates composting facilities and should achieve government targets. Hence, a separate composting strategy is not being developed although iniatives such as the sale of composting bins at reduced prices for residents are being promoted.A recycling plan is being prepared by the Council.1
12.2.2. It is necessary for a waste plan to consider all types of waste: household waste; commercial and industrial waste; construction and demolition waste; sewage and agricultural waste. There is also mining and quarrying waste and policies to cover this are included in the Minerals Section.
12.2.3. The Government’s policy on waste management is set out in Planning Guidance (Wales) Planning Policy (1999) and in more detail in the White Paper, ‘Making Waste Work, a Strategy for Sustainable Waste Management in England and Wales’ which has been reviewed by the current Government in a Consultation paper on the waste strategy for England and Wales, ‘Less Waste More Value’, published in 1998. The Waste Strategy for Wales”Wise about Waste” was issued in June,20023 The current policy is based on a hierarchy of: reduction; re-use; recovery (including recycling, composting and the use of waste as a source of energy); and safe disposal which should take place as close as possible to the place where the waste is generated and transported by rail or water rather than by road wherever possible. Planning authorities are obliged by EC Directives on waste to establish a network of waste disposal installations, and to ensure that waste is recovered or disposed of without harming the environment, without endangering human health or causing a nuisance through noise, or adversely affecting the countryside or places of interest.
12.2.4. Waste Strategy 2000 (England & Wales) May 2000, highlights the objective of choosing the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) when considering the way to treat particular waste streams. It is acknowledged that BPEO varies fromwaste product to waste product5, from area to area, and from time to time. The three key considerations of waste hierarchy, the proximity principle and self sufficiency, need to be taken into account in considering waste management options.
(i) introduce a ban running from July, 2004, to cease the co-disposal of hazardous /non-hazardous waste
(ii) reduce the volume of biodegradeable waste going to landfill
(iii) introduce a ban on the landfill of tyres, and
(iv) introduce a ban on the landfill of liquid waste, infectious clinical waste and other specified hazardous wastes phased in from 2001 onwards.
12.2.6 “Wise about waste”; the Welsh Assembly Governments’ strategy (June 2002) sets out the options in order of priority as follows:-
(i) reduction of the waste generated
(iii) recovery which can reduce demand for aggregates or energy from fossil fuels through recycling or composting
(iv) energy recovery when recovery is not possible, and
(v) disposal to landfill only as a last resort for waste which cannot be further treated, including residues from heat treatments.
12.2.7 Technical Advice Note 21 on Waste sets out guidance on sustainable waste management. One of the requirements is that a Regional Waste Plan (RWP) be prepared and adopted by the regional group of authorities by November, 2003. The RWP is intended to identify areas of need and search for potential sites and indicate predicted tonnages of each type of waste likely to be generated and the facilities required. Each LPA is then required to transpose their requirements into the UDP and any subsequent reviews.
12.2.8 All waste development proposals will not only need to have regard to BPEO, but also Sustainable Waste Management Options (SWMO) and Health Impact Assessment (HIA). Guidance on the latter process is available in the Welsh Assemby Governments’: Developing Health Impact Assessment in Wales 1999.6
12.3. Waste Disposal and Management in the County Borough
12.3.1. The former Ogwr Borough Council approved a Waste Disposal Plan in 1985 which established the waste disposal arrangements for the following ten years. It was concluded that controlled landfill would be the preferred method of waste disposal within the former Borough for the foreseeable future. Stormy West Quarry, near Pyle, was used as the main tipping site and received the majority of the waste arisings for the next ten years. Landfill operations have now ceased and the site is being restored. The Waste Disposal Plan anticipated that Stormy Down Quarry would be used on the completion of Stormy West Landfill site to provide continuity of tipping.
12.3.2. Policies relating to waste disposal were included in the Ogwr Borough Local Plan which was adopted in 1995. By this time, it was evident that there were significant problems in safeguarding groundwater in relation to proposals for waste disposal at Stormy Down Quarry. There was a need for an alternative arrangement as no other major site was considered to be suitable for landfill except for inert material. In 1996, a contract was completed with a private waste contractor to manage and dispose of the waste collected by the County Borough from the Stormy West Transfer Station for a five year period. It is possible that this site will be the subject of further applications for planning permission/licence to continue operations in the future. Since 1996 the majority of the municipal waste has been landfilled at a site in the Cynon Valley within Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough and a site in Neath and Port Talbot CBC. 7 At the end of this contract, waste will be transported from Bridgend County Borough to Neath Port Talbot where a new joint installation has been constructed which will incorporate recycling, composting,8 and waste to energy facilities.
12.3.3. A draft Recycling Plan was produced in 1993 by the former Borough Council which was reviewed in 1995.This plan is currently being updated.9 The Recycling Plan estimated that 3.4% of household waste was being recycled and these levels had risen to 4.7% in 1995, and to 5.6% in 1997-98. These levels are similar to recycling rates in South East Wales and UK levels estimated at 5 to 6% but well below the Government target of recycling 25% of household waste by the year 2003. The Plan considered the problem of finding reliable markets for recycled materials and recommended working towards a reduced target of 12% through a “Bring” collection system..It is considered that this target may be achieved by a significant number of local authorities but fluctuations in the market for recycled materials are likely to be experienced which may hamper target achievement.10
12.3.4. Waste minimisation forms an important part of the County Borough’s Environmental and Sustainable Development Policy which states with regard to waste management:-
“This Authority will make every effort to minimise and avoid waste where practicable within its own buildings and promote sustainable waste and management practices including conservation, re-use and appropriate recycling of all resources throughout the County Borough.”
At the present time the Welsh Assembly Government are providing some funding for new waste facilities11Provision has been made for such facilities in the plan12
12.3.5. Tipping of inert waste from construction and demolition sites has continued within the County Borough mainly on small sites, many of which were allocated in the Ogwr Borough Local Plan. These are often short term and have provided a means of restoring land which was incapable of beneficial use. Since the introduction of the Landfill Tax in 1996, there has been a rise in the number of proposals for land reclamation and agricultural improvement through the landfill of inert materials Such materials are currently the subject of a landfill tax of £2.00 per tonne and general waste to landfill being subjected to landfill tax at a rate of £14.00 per tonne.13 This inert material could be re-used in construction works if facilities were available to sort and process the waste products. Until adequate facilities are established, there will be a need to provide sites for inert tipping. Once facilities for inert recycling are established, further landfill should be resisted so that waste minimisation can be encouraged together with conserving the natural resources which would otherwise be extracted for aggregate materials.
A SITE FOR THE COLLECTION AND TRANSFER OF WASTE FOR BULK TRANSPORTATION OUT OF THE COUNTY BOROUGH SHALL BE ALLOCATED WITHIN THE FUTURE REGENERATION SITE AT TONDU.
12.4.2. The agency arrangements being developed with Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council will make provision for municipal waste arisings generated within the County Borough to be transported to a new treatment/disposal facility near Swansea. The existing transfer station at Stormy West is the subject of a temporary consent. This site is not suitable for a permanent facility as it is not in a central location, there are access problems and the adjoining landfill site is being restored. An alternative site at Tondu is preferred as it would be in a central location in the County Borough and have the possibility of a rail link for bulk transportation to avoid the need for movement by road. The provision of other facilities at this site will be considered later, such as a further civic amenity site or recycling centre.
WASTE DISPOSAL WILL BE FAVOURED FOR DOMESTIC, COMMERCIAL AND NON-HAZARDOUS INDUSTRIAL WASTE AT TYTHEGSTON QUARRY.
12.5.2. The main landfill site for the disposal of domestic, commercial and non-hazardous industrial waste was14 at Tythegston Quarry, but this has recently reached capacity. The domestic waste produced in the County Borough will be transported to the new facility near Swansea within Neath Port Talbot County Borough. The remaining sites are smaller and are permitted to accept inert waste only. It is anticipated in the future that recycling facilities for inert waste will become established and therefore it is likely that there will be a diminishing need to provide landfill sites once alternative facilities become available.
PROPOSALS FOR LANDFILL OF WASTE WILL BE PERMITTED ONLY WHERE THE RECYCLING OF THE MATERIAL IS NOT FEASIBLE. SUCH PROPOSALS WILL THEN BE FAVOURED ON (i) DERELICT, CONTAMINATED OR SIMILARLY DESPOILED LAND (ii) CURRENT OR FORMER UNRESTORED MINERAL SITES AND (iii) BROWNFIELD LAND, PROVIDED ALL OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA ARE SATISFIED: -
1. THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT AREAS OF IMPORTANCE FOR NATURE CONSERVATION.17
2. THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD NOT CAUSE UNACCEPTABLE ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION FROM DUST, NOISE, VIBRATION, LEACHATES, WATER OR GAS EMISSIONS, INCLUDING ANY EFFECTS ON QUALITY OR QUANTITY OF WATER SUPPLY AND DRAINAGE;
3. THE DEVELOPMENT DOES NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT OR HAVE AN UNACCEPTABLE VISUAL IMPACT ON AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPORTANCE;
4. THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT INTERESTS OF ACKNOWLEDGED IMPORTANCE TO AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, OR THE WINNING AND WORKING OF MINERALS;
5. THE ACCESS IS SATISFACTORY IN RELATION TO THE HIGHWAY NETWORK, BOTH DURING ITS WORKING LIFE AND IT’S SUBSEQUENT RESTORATION, WITHOUT DETRIMENT TO LOCAL AMENITY;
6. THE DEVELOPMENT WOULD NOT ADVERSELY AFFECT GROUND STABILITY;
7. THERE IS AN AGREED PROGRAMME OF SITE MANAGEMENT FOR THE DURATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT;
8. THERE IS AN AGREED PROGRAMME OF PROPOSALS FOR SITE RESTORATION, AFTERCARE AND BENEFICIAL AFTER-USE INCLUDING SATISFACTORY LAND PROFILES IN RELATION TO THE SURROUNDING TOPOGRAPHY AND APPROPRIATE LANDSCAPE WORKS.
12.6.2. Until a full range of recycling facilities are established to serve the County Borough, there will be a limited need to provide sites for the landfill of waste material, particularly for inert waste mainly generated by construction and demolition activities. Once alternative facilities are available however, the landfill of such material will become undesirable in view of policies to minimise waste production and to resist the landfill of products which could be safely re-used in order to conserve natural resources of aggregate materials.
12.6.3 Policy W3 reflects guidance contained in Technical Advice Note 21 entitled Waste, and also the requirements of the South West Wales Regional Waste Plan (issued January 2004). Further research will be necessary to inform the waste planning process before allocations are made in the development plan.18
FACILITIES FOR THE COLLECTION AND RECYCLING OF MINERAL WASTE MATERIAL SHALL BE PROMOTED AND ENCOURAGED PROVIDED THAT THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ACCEPTABLE IN RELATION TO NEIGHBOURING LAND USES WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO RESIDENTIAL AMENITY AND SITES DESIGNATED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. IN THIS RESPECT THE FOLLOWING SITES ARE IDENTIFIED:-
W4(1) HEOL-Y-SPLOTT, SOUTH CORNELLY;
W4(2) CORNELLY QUARRY, SOUTH CORNELLY;
W4(3) GROVE QUARRY, SOUTH CORNELLY.
12.7.2. The waste industry is constantly changing in relation to market trends. Facilities for collection, sorting and processing of waste materials may be proposed by private industry, by recycling organisations or by the Council itself, for example, through the construction of civic amenity sites. A new civic amenity site has recently been opened at the Tythegston Landfill Site. Subject to adequate funding being made available by the NAW, new civic amenity sites will be established in appropriate areas in the Borough.19 Other recycling proposals will be considered in relation to their impact on other land uses and sites which are designated for protection for nature conservation, as areas of archaeological or historic interest, or as Landscape Conservation Areas or Green Wedges.
12.7.3. Recycling facilities for inert materials have already been approved at Heol-y-Splott and Cornelly Quarry. Active quarrying areas are often considered to be suitable for such proposals provided that there is no residential development in close proximity and the access is satisfactory for this purpose. Such facilities could be suitable similarly at Grove Quarry in view of its location and close proximity to the strategic highway network.
12.8. Waste Facilities for Major Developments
12.8.1. WASTE MINIMISATION & RECYCLING
ALL PROPOSALS FOR MAJOR NEW DEVELOPMENT SHOULD INCLUDE PROVISION FOR THE COLLECTION AND, WHERE APPROPRIATE, TREATMENT OF WASTE LIKELY TO BE GENERATED BY THE FUTURE USE OF THE LAND.
12.8.2. Proposals for major development, such as retail, industrial, commercial or housing development should include details of the means of waste collection and proposals for waste minimisation and recycling. Collection banks are often provided through the goodwill of developers but such arrangements should be promoted in all major development proposals in order to maximise recycling possibilities.
12.9. Construction and Demolition Waste
12.9.1. RE-USE & RECYCLING OF MATERIALS
ANY DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS INVOLVING THE DEMOLITION OF MAJOR STRUCTURES OR REMOVAL OF SIGNIFICANT QUANTITIES OF WASTE MATERIAL DURING CONSTRUCTION SHALL IDENTIFY THE MEANS BY WHICH THE WASTE MATERIAL SHALL BE REUSED, RECYCLED OR DISPOSED OF EITHER WITHIN OR OFF THE SITE.
12.9.2. In order to conserve natural resources, it is important to maximise the re-use and recycling of materials wherever possible within the proposed development itself or in other local construction schemes.
DEVELOPMENT FOR THE DISPOSAL, STORAGE OR DISTRIBUTION OF SPECIAL WASTES WILL BE PERMITTED ONLY WHERE THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ACCEPTABLE IN RELATION TO NEIGHBOURING LAND USES, IN PARTICULAR RESIDENTIAL AMENITY AND SITES DESIGNATED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
12.10.2. Special waste, such as industrial and commercial waste, often requires special treatment facilities where it can be processed to make it acceptable to deposit. Such facilities have the potential to cause significant adverse effects and therefore need to be located in areas which have been carefully assessed to minimise environmental impact.
12.10.3 Within the South West and South East Wales regions there is a need to identify for hazardous waste facilities but it is extremely difficult for individual authorities to justify site provision within their own areas to meet regional need. The Regional Waste Plans have identified the capacity requirement for such waste per unitary authority but have not given adequate guidance on this issue to- date to enable the sustainable waste management planning of such sites within the region. Whilst the need for such sites is acknowledged the issue will need to be discussed further by technical working parties as part of the regional waste planning process,and monitored and reviewed under the formal UDP review procedure.20
12.11.1. PROVISION OF CIVIC AMENITY SITES
PROPOSALS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CIVIC AMENITY FACILITIES TO HANDLE DOMESTIC WASTE OTHER THAN THAT COLLECTED BY DOOR TO DOOR COLLECTIONS (EXCLUDING WASTE DISPOSAL/TRANSFER) WILL BE PERMITTED WHERE:-
1. THERE IS NO UNACCEPTABLE IMPACT OF THE AMENITY OF LOCAL RESIDENTS THROUGH NOISE, DUST, VIBRATION, SMELLS OR VERMIN;
2. THE TRAFFIC GENERATED CAN BE ACCOMMODATED SAFELY ON THE EXISTING HIGHWAY NETWORK;
3. SATISFACTORY ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE MADE TO PREVENT POLLUTION OF SURFACE OR UNDERGROUND WATER SYSTEMS/SUPPLIES;
4. NATURE CONSERVATION INTERESTS WOULD BE PROTECTED;
5. VISUAL IMPACT CAN BE MITIGATED BY APPROPRIATE LANDSCAPING AND SCREENING; AND
12.11.2. In order to meet the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Council will need to provide opportunities for civic amenity site(s) to be strategically placed within the County Borough. This will hopefully encourage people to dispose of their household waste, including garden materials, in a satisfactory manner. Three sites have recently been granted planning permission in Maesteg, Brynmenyn and Ogmore Vale which should be implemented in 2004/5.21
12.11.3. It is considered inappropriate and impractical to make specific allocations for such sites given the need to give careful consideration to such proposals taking into account the nature of the development and the surrounding area. Proposals will, however, be generally encouraged towards existing areas or allocations for general industry, unless it can be demonstrated that they could be located elsewhere without causing unacceptable environmental impact.
12.11.4. Suitable sites within the County Borough need to be located in areas which are central to main settlement areas to reduce unnecessary vehicle movements. Hence, it is considered that industrial sites such as Brynmenyn ,Litchard,22 and Village Farm, Pyle, would be deemed acceptable in principle for such use.
