PEOPLE are up in arms following the revelation of plans that, if granted, would allow HGVs to service a waste transfer facility at Waterbrook Road on a 24/7 basis.

According to Ashdell Residents’ Association spokesman Rachel Palmer, it would give carte blanche for HGVs to deliver and unload road planings around the clock, with people living in the Mill Lane and Wilsom Road area of Alton having to cope, not just with noise from the plant but from three-and-a-half tonne lorries rumbling past at all times of the night.

Next Wednesday, Hampshire County Council will make a decision based on officer recommendation that the proposal would be in accordance with the relevant policies of the adopted Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan in that “the benefits in providing this facility would outweigh the impacts to neighbourhood amenity and the environment”.

It is a “step too far” for ward councillor Andrew Joy, who points out that the plan will provide for 10 lorry movements (five in, five out) delivering and unloading planings, plus two other movements for general waste “at random times” during the night, which will see HGVs clanking over the weighbridge off Mill Lane and disturbing the peace.

In addition, according to Mr Joy, the proposal is to clear part of the site of trees which will not only open up the dumping area visually for residents but will allow for the free flow of noise to impact in particular on properties with open windows at first-floor level.

Like East Hampshire District Council, Mr Joy has raised concerns about the potential impact in terms of noise, vibration and amenity for residents. He also believes it is “the thin end of the wedge” in terms of the “precedent” a 24/7 operation could set.

The application, by Hutchings and Carter, which is part of the Waltet Group, is for the variation of conditions of planning to allow for importation of road planings and the night-time importation and exportation of waste.

Located at Unit 7 on the Waterbrook Estate, the site, which backs onto the county council’s household waste recycling centre in Omega Park, has clearly defined operational hours, agreed upon “in the interests of local amenity”.

This latest application, which was lodged in February, seeks changes to condition five (operating times) to allow for 12 HGV movements per day to and from the site to occur outside the existing operating hours of the site (currently 7am-6pm Monday to Saturday), allowing for the introduction of limited night-time operations.

Also to vary condition 11 to allow for a revised dust and noise management plan, and condition 18 to allow for road planings to be added to the list of waste types accepted at the site.

It has attracted 45 letters of objection from the public concerned about noise, dust, light and vehicle pollution, the amenity impact of a 24/7 operation, and the impact on wildlife.

In addition, Alton Town Council is querying the accuracy of the noise assessment and Kingsley Parish Council has requested a condition to prevent lorries using the B3004 to travel through Kingsley.

The county council’s regulatory committee will hear the application on Wednesday in Winchester, at 10am.

Ashdell Residents’ Association is urging people to attend the hearing to show how much they object to the proposal.