Chapter 17 - Waste Disposal

Introduction

17.1 The disposal of waste is becoming an increasingly intractable problem to deal with. Both households and industries produce large and increasing volumes of waste. Some of this waste is toxic, hazardous or otherwise difficult to handle and requires special arrangements for its disposal. Existing disposal sites are being rapidly used up. Environmental standards expected of those handling and disposing of waste materials are being raised. New disposal opportunities are becoming increasingly difficult to find.

17.2 The disposal of most waste in Trafford is currently controlled by the Greater Manchester Waste Regulation Authority. The Authority is responsible for issuing site licences and for monitoring disposal by both the public and the private sectors. During the Plan period these regulatory arrangements may be changed by the Government and a national Environment Agency established to regulate the industry. Most waste disposal sites and facilities will, as now, require planning permission. Minor works at facilities such as sewage treatment plants may already have this permission granted by the General Development Order (1988).

17.3 Within Greater Manchester there is a severe shortage of suitable landfill sites. The Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority, after a long search, has been able to identify only one such site in the whole of the County, at Red Moss in Bolton. More sites will inevitably be needed in future years even if considerable investment is made in incineration, pulverization, compaction and re-cycling facilities. The capital costs of investing in any new plant will be high.

17.4 Trafford has a small number of landfill sites, transfer stations, chemical treatment plants, incinerators and Civic Amenity sites. Some of these are nearing the end of their life. Proposals for the extension of existing sites or the development of new facilities can therefore be expected over the Plan period.

17.5 In considering such proposals the Council will bear in mind the need for Trafford to contribute towards the maintenance at all times of sufficient provision of waste disposal facilities within Greater Manchester. The Draft Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Plan estimated the annual production of waste in Greater Manchester at 3.5 million tonnes per annum but more up-to-date information may become available during the preparation of the Waste Disposal Plan required by the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

General Justification for the Policies and Proposals of the Waste Disposal Chapter

17.6 Strategic Planning Guidance for Greater Manchester advises that UDPs should identify waste disposal sites or criteria for identifying such sites and that they should set out the criteria for assessing the land-use and environmental implications of individual development proposals. In doing this the Council should have regard to the Waste Disposal Plan, produced by the Waste Regulation Authority, and recognize the essential inter-relationship between disposal, site licensing and planning control.

17.7 The Waste Disposal Policies and Proposals of this Plan follow the recommendations of Strategic Guidance, take into account the contents of the Draft Waste Disposal Plan for Greater Manchester, and attempt to provide opportunities for the development of disposal facilities subject to satisfactory environmental safeguards.

PART I PLAN POLICIES

Part I Policy WD1 Sites For Waste Disposal

In considering applications for the development of sites and facilities for waste disposal the Council will have regard to:-

i. the need for Trafford to make an appropriate contribution towards the maintenance at all times of sufficient provision of waste disposal facilities within Greater Manchester;

ii. the need to encourage recycling of waste, thereby reducing the use of limited natural resources and minimizing the need for use of scarce landfill sites;

iii. the scope for securing long-term benefits in improving the environment;

iv. the impact of the proposal on the physical environment;

v. the impact of the proposal on existing or proposed development;

vi. the adequacy of the road network to accommodate traffic generated;

vii. the need to avoid prejudicing other Policies and Proposals of this Plan.

Part I Policy WD2 Civic Amenity Sites

The Council will support the development of Civic Amenity sites in appropriate locations within a reasonable distance of all households in the Borough.

Part I Policy WD3 Waste Treatment And Recycling

The Council will support the development of plant for the treatment and recycling of waste in appropriate locations within the Borough.

PART II PLAN PROPOSALS

Part II Proposal WD4 Disposal Sites And Treatment Facilities

Proposals for new, or extensions to existing, waste disposal sites and treatment facilities will be permitted only where it can be shown that:-

i. the site or facilities will contribute towards meeting the waste disposal needs of the Borough and surrounding areas;

ii. the proposal will provide, where feasible and practical, for the bulk reduction, or recycling, of waste thereby reducing the amount which will be disposed of finally by landfill;

iii. where feasible and practical, long-term benefits in terms of reducing pollution, up-grading derelict or unsightly land or improving the quality of the environment in some other way will be secured, and

iv. use of the site for waste treatment or disposal will not jeopardize the implementation of other policies and proposals of this Plan by prejudicing existing uses or proposed development.

Justification

1. Much of the waste arising in Trafford is currently disposed of outside the Borough. The only significant disposal facilities within the Borough are situated at Peak's Nook, Carrington (landfill) and Sinderland Lane, Broadheath (incinerator).

2. Within the timescale of this Plan it is anticipated that new waste treatment and disposal facilities will be required. This Proposal together with Proposal WD5 sets down the criteria against which any new development scheme will be judged.

Part II Proposal WD5 Waste Disposal And Environmental Protection

Proposals for waste disposal sites and treatment facilities will be assessed against their effects on the following criteria:-

i. main residential areas or other environmentally sensitive property, in terms of amenity, noise, smell, dust, vibration, ground or water contamination, or other nuisance;

ii. their impact on land drainage or groundwater supply, including the capacity of flood storage areas on the flood plain;

iii. areas of high quality agricultural land or areas of significant landscape or recreational value;

iv. the setting of listed buildings, ancient monuments, conservation areas, nature conservation and features of archaeological, geological or amenity value.

Where proposals are acceptable against the above criteria they will be expected to:-

v. provide for the appropriate treatment of any river banks to ensure that tipped material is not exposed to erosion;

vi. have no adverse impact on highway safety and provide any necessary on-site wheel washing facilities;

vii. include, where appropriate, a satisfactory scheme of working which includes provision for site security and for the containment or management of materials which are deposited within the site boundaries; in the case of large sites, the scheme of working should also include provision for progressive working in order to minimize the area being worked at any one time;

viii. include, where appropriate, provision for screening and landscaping of the site;

ix. avoid sterilizing land with mineral deposits where mineral extraction would be a viable and appropriate use of the land;

Landfill:

In the case of landfill schemes, proposals will also be expected to make satisfactory provision for:-

x. site restoration, either after completion of operations or, in appropriate cases, on a progressive basis while landfill is taking place;

xi. the aftercare of the land, including safe disposal of any landfill gas or leachate.

An Environmental Assessment (EA) may be required in order to clarify the matters referred to in (i) to (xi) above. In deciding whether an EA is required the Council will have regard to the Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988, as amended, and the guidance in Circular 15/88 on Environmental Assessment.

Incineration:

In the case of any proposals for waste incinerators, the Council will normally seek to ensure that these:-

xii. are located within industrial areas well away from any main residential areas;

xiii. are not unduly prominent or out of scale, having regard to the nature of their surroundings, their visibility from public viewpoints and the extent of possible screening measures;

xiv. do not prejudice the regeneration of an area identified by the Council as being in need of investment, and,

xv. do not prejudice existing industries, particularly food manufacturing and high technology activities.

In considering applications for waste incinerators the Council will require an Environmental Assessment (EA) of the proposal. This EA should include details of the design, operation, management and monitoring of the plant and the degree of risk which it represents to the health and safety of local residents.

Justification

1. This Proposal is necessary to ensure that waste disposal and treatment take place without adversely affecting the physical environment or the amenity, health and safety of local resident. Criteria (i) to (xi) provide a means of evaluating proposals against these aims.

2. Incineration is an effective means of reducing the volume of waste prior to final disposal, and in recent years there have been a number of proposals for incinerators in the Borough. Criteria (xii) to (xv) are a re-statement of the Council's interim Policy for Incinerators and will be used, in addition to criteria (i) to (xi), in determining planning applications for proposals involving the treatment or disposal of waste by incineration.

3. These criteria reflect the Council's concerns that incinerators should not be located within, or in close proximity to, residential areas where they may cause problems of air pollution. They aim to encourage location within industrial areas only where they will not cause problems of visual intrusion, or prejudice existing industries or the regeneration of an area designated as being in need of renewal. The criteria also aim to ensure that incinerators do not cause excessive problems of traffic generation.

4. In requiring an EA for incinerator applications the Council aim to ensure that all aspects of a proposal are fully addressed and taken into account before planning permission is granted.

5. The Council will consult, and seek specialist advice from the Waste Regulation Authority, the Health and Safety Executive and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution on technical matters material to any planning application, and will engage their own independent expert consultants where necessary.

Part II Proposal WD6 Civic Amenity Sites

The Council will support the development of new, or extensions to existing, Civic Amenity sites subject to provisions (i) to (xi) of Proposal WD5. Such sites should be within easy reach of main built-up areas, well-related to the highway network, have adequate space for car parking and servicing, and be well screened.

Justification

1. There are at present two Civic Amenity sites in the Borough at Chester Road, Stretford and adjacent to the domestic refuse incinerator at Sinderland Lane, Broadheath.

2. Extensions to existing sites and new facilities will be supported in order to cope with increasing demand for facilities for the depositing of household waste items not suitable for household collection.

3. It is important to support the provision of such facilities in convenient locations close to concentrations of population in order to minimize the distance users need to travel.

4. Civic Amenity sites cater largely for those with cars. Facilities therefore require good access, parking and servicing.

5. Though potentially less intrusive than landfill, and potentially experiencing less of a problem with wind-blown litter, Civic Amenity sites still need screening in order to protect the amenity of occupiers of nearby properties.

Part II Proposal WD7 Waste Recycling Facilities

The Council will support the development of facilities for the recycling of wastes, including facilities at Civic Amenity sites, subject to environmental safeguards. In the case of proposals involving specialized processes for the recovery of materials the Council will require details of likely levels of noise, emissions, traffic generation and other effects before granting planning permission.

Justification

1. With many types of waste there are opportunities for the recovery and re-use of materials. Such recycling offers an alternative to the use of raw materials and reduces the bulk of waste for final disposal in landfill sites.

2. The Government has expressed its commitment to encourage nationally the recycling of 50% of the domestic waste that can be recycled rather than the 10% which is recycled now, and requires waste collection authorities, such as the Council, to prepare a plan to meet this objective. The Council's recycling plan has been approved by the Department of the Environment.