Armley-based Forge Recycling has submitted a planning application to Leeds City Council to expand their current waste transfer station to help increase their recycling capacity from 3,900 tonnes per annum to 49,000 tonnes, writes Keely Bannister.
Forge are looking to expand their current site, which is based on Forge Lane at Scotch Park Trading Estate, as well as utilising land they have recently bought next to their current site.
At the moment, the company has to tip its collection rounds off site. This development, which will create a Material Recycling Facility (MRF), will mean that Forge Recycling can take control of their own waste and maximise the quality and volume of recycling which is processed in the city.
If granted permission, the development of the site will see an additional 18 full time staff positions created which will be made up of:
- Two office workers
- 12 drivers workers
- Four operational staff
Concerns have been raised by the council about the potential impacts of the development on the local environment caused by dust and litter.
In response, Forge have created a management plan to minimise any issues, which includes regular site sweeping and litter picking, waste only being permitted to be tipped in enclosed areas, water used to suppress dust as required and covering of skips and stores.
As the Northern boundary of the site is approximately 25m from the Leeds-Liverpool Canal, particular attention will be given to protecting this area, with litter picks leading to the canal and netting above the boundary wall.
A document submitted as part of the application proposes that there will be an additional 34 one-way trips daily, with 14 being attributed to staff in the morning and the other 20 being spread throughout the day.
The document says that the impact on the local highway network will be negligible due to the type of roads in question and the amount of HGVs that currently travel on them.
As is currently the situation, waste will be accepted to the site, which is accessed via Canal Road and then Forge Lane, 24 hours a day – however the waste will be only be processed between 7am and 10pm.
Forge Recycling have been in operation at the site since 2010. They have become active in the Leeds community, supporting many community projects including sponsoring Armley FC.
The company helped institute the Recycling on the Go initiative in Leeds City Centre as well as introducing Yorkshire’s first cup recycling service which has so far seen 365,000 cups recycled.
You can read all the details of the planning application and comment on it here.
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