Consultation extended for hazardous waste landfill expansion plans at King's Cliffe by Augean
Concerned villagers have been given more time to have their say on plans to expand a landfill site for hazardous and low level radioactive waste.
Specialist waste management company Augean want to extend their East Northants Resource Management Facility (ENRMF) site, at Kings Cliffe, into two neighbouring arable fields of about 90 acres, the boundary of which falls within a mile of Duddington.
The current site was opened in 2004 and serves as a landfill site for active hazardous waste and low level radioactive waste, together with a waste treatment and recovery facility.
Augean say the expansion of ENRMF, which last year announced profits of more than £8m, would give them enough extra capacity to continue there for another 25 years. Their current consent to operate at the site runs until the end of 2026.
But the proposals have raised concerns from neighbouring villages as well as woodland conservation group Friends of Fineshade.
Part of the proposed expansion falls in a channel of land separating the ancient woodlands of Fineshade and the national nature reserve at Collyweston Great Wood, designated a site of Special Scientific Interest).
Friends of Fineshade, which is awaiting SSSI designation, say it could threaten a number of species which inhabit the two woods including adders, dormice, and newts.
The group had hoped to link the two woods, but believe it would take decades to fill, cap and restore the top surface of the proposed deep pits back to natural habitat.
They have lodged their own proposals for two alternative fields to the south of the current site which they say would limit the impact on wildlife.
Residents of Collyweston have also raised several concerns, including increased traffic on the A43 and A47, and extra light and noise pollution.
Augean began consulting about its proposals at the end of October and plan to finalise and submit their Development Consent Order (DCO) to the Government's Planning Inspectorate agency by late spring.
But Covid-19 lockdown and tier restrictions have prevented them from holding public exhibitions in affected neighbourhoods.
Formal consultations end on Monday, but after appeals from residents, the company will accept further consultation responses received before January 8, 2021.
You can lodge your response to the consultation online at www.augeanconsultation.co.uk where links to all the consultation documents and detailed plans are available.
Hard copy exhibition packs, including respons forms, are also available by calling (01904) 654989, and copies of the consultation documents can be seen online, free of charge, at Stamford Library and Oundle Library.
Visit www.fineshade.org.uk/augean to see Friends of Fineshade's alternative proposals.