A call has been made for use of a recycling collection site in Appleby to be suspended following complaints about noise, disruption and fly-tipping.
Town councillor Paula Heap made the call after hearing about complaints which had been made following the moving of the recycling site from Broad Close to the town’s heritage centre to allow the Environment Agency to undertake flood defence work. “It might not be well received, but could we perhaps consider or suggest to Westmorland and Furness Council (who service the site) that maybe use of the recycling centre be suspended,” she said.
Andy Wilkinson, who is a resident in a row of detached houses that look down on to the site, said the noise and disruption associated with the recycling facility lasts from “first thing in the morning to late in the evening”.
“We are not talking about people just dropping the odd wine bottle in, people lift the lid up and it’s the whole box (which goes in). Imagine a box full of those going in several times per hour. It’s a very busy facility and I don’t think it should be outside a residential row of houses,” said Mr Wilkinson. And it is not only the recycling going into the site which is causing an issue, there have also been complaints about contractors coming to service the facility at unsociable hours.
Mr Wilkinson said he was first aware of one of the refuse vehicles coming just after 6am one Friday morning.
The bring site is set to be in its temporary location for up to 20 months, but Mr Wilkinson pointed out that amounted to nearly two years.
“We are two weeks in and I am already annoyed and very frustrated about the situation, so I dread to think what I am going to be like in several months time if this continues,” said Mr Wilkinson.
Andy Connell, who represents the town on Westmorland and Furness Council, said the reason why it was at the heritage centre was because Westmorland and Furness own that land.
Town clerk Sue Gilbertson was asked to check on some of the issues – including whether CCTV could be installed at the site – which had been raised and it was agreed to reconvene the discussion once she has got some answers.
A spokesman for Westmorland and Furness Council said on Thursday: “To support the Environment Agency with their work on a new pumping station in Appleby, it was necessary to move our recycling bring site out of Broad Close car park to a temporary location at the heritage centre.
“We are monitoring how this is working and following a complaint about our contractor servicing the site early in the morning, we have taken steps to ensure this does not happen again.
“We will also install signage reminding people using the site to be considerate of neighbouring residents, as well as liaising with the town council about any other measures we need to take. We apologise for any disruption caused and thank the community for their understanding and support.”
