Severnside inquiry gets underway

Battle lines have been drawn as a public inquiry into a long-running planning dispute over the use of land at a recycling plant got underway today.

Severnside, which runs the Mill Lane recycling site, wants to continue operations with late night lorry runs until it has moved out of the Taplow site - which it now says will take a maximum of six months.

But Bucks County Council argues that the need for round-the-clock lorry journeys along Mill Lane is only justified by the firm on the grounds of 'commercial convenience' rather than 'commerical need'.

The council has served two enforcement notices on the company's recycling operations claiming that it is working outside planning laws.

Residents, particularly those in Mill Lane, say they have suffered from the 'incessant' lorry trips that go past their houses.
Hundreds of lorry trips, carrying recycling materials, are taken everyday, some of which drive just metres from houses at 3am.

The public inquiry, which is being conducted by an independent government planning inspector, is being held at Burnham FC in Wymer's Wood Road, in Burnham.
It is expected to last up to four days.

A report on the inquiry outcome will be posted on the Advertiser website after the hearing has finished.