Shropshire Star

Villagers urge Powys Council to use existing recycling faclity and not build new one

Powys County Council has been urged to use an existing facility for bulking waste, instead of building a new one.

Published
Cae Post

Residents in Abermule who are opposed to plans for Powys County Council's new facility are urging the authority to use its former Cae Post recycling facility at Criggion Lane, Trewern, which is for sale for £325,000.

The facility closed in March, 2017 with the loss of 17 jobs after the Cae Post charity lost its recycling contract with the Council.

The charity that provided work and training for people with disabilities or disadvantaged in the job market collected recycling from 5,000 homes in north Powys.

Workers at the 1,678 square metre facility separated the recycling for onward transmission to re-processors.

The council aims to do if the same thing with the facility in Abermule.

Last month residents of the village were told at a public meeting that if they found similar alternative location and suitable access that fits the budget and could be built on time they would listen.

PCC said it has already dismissed the idea because of its location.

Mark Pearce, of pressure group Abermule Communities Together, said: “The former Cae Post facility was already providing a very useful service in processing waste; it beggars belief why this facility was ever shut down.

“It is not only absolutely reasonable to ask why this facility cannot be put back into use, but it is essential that Powys County Council state categorically that it is not a suitable facility to update and even expand can advance some extremely compelling, and objective reasons why not?”

Councillor Liam Fitzpatrick, an Independent who represents Talybont-on-Usk, said: "This is so obvious – why spend all that money on a new site when they can just use Cae Post – surely the capital budget can be re jigged for this?”

Councillor Phyl Davies, cabinet member for highways, recycling and assets, said: “While the Cae Post site at Trewern was previously used for a materials recycling facility, this was on a relatively small scale and was not able to cope with the additional recyclable material collected once the kerbside collection scheme had been fully rolled out.

“The site is not of sufficient size for our current and future needs with the surrounding road network not suitable to meet highway standards for access to a bulking site.

“It is also situated on the far east edge of the county so it is not in a strategic location to service the whole of north Powys, which would result in additional fuel costs.”

Story by Elgan Hearn - Local Democracy Reporter