Hundreds of Abermule residents have staged a protest march against a bulk waste recycling centre on the outskirts of the village.

Angry villagers say they fear the recycling centre could risk their health through pollution, reduce the value of their homes and encourage rat infestation in the area.

Residents claim that local roads are not adequate for the heavy traffic that would be generated by the recycling centre.

An online petition set up by the residents’ campaign group Abermule Communities Together has been signed by more than 300 people since it was created on October 1 urging Powys County Council to reconsider their decision to grant planning permission at Abermule Business Park.

County Times:

Mal Jones, Roy Bryce and Tony Evans joined the march on Abermule football fields.

“The way it’s been done by Powys County Council, that’s what’s annoyed us,” said Roy Bryce, an Abermule resident of 35 years.

“Initially it was an enterprise park. They had the recycling centre in the back of their minds since day one.”

He added: “It shouldn’t be there in the first place. It’s going to spoil Abermule with the noise and smell. There’s got to be more appropriate places in Powys than Abermule.”

Mal Jones said: “It’s going to be a massive building, the size of three double decker buses. It’s going to be an eyesore.”

Glyn Davies MP gave his backing to the protesters on Saturday (Picture: @Sarah_W_Morris)


Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies gave his backing to the protesters in a speech at Abermule Business Park where the plant is due to be constructed.

He said: “I understand the local feeling. I’m certainly very much on your side and I hope the council will listen.

“I was chairman of the planning committee for seven years and I know the absolute moral rules as well as the legal rules are that you wouldn’t give planning permission to yourself that you wouldn’t give to others.

“I think the council should re-look at this, particularly as it seems to me that a fairly new development in Newtown which is far, far better than this is willing to give the development the go ahead there. I’ve written to the council and told them that they should discuss with the developer to see if it should go there.

“I think on this particular application the planning committee has given itself permission, but if anyone else would have applied it would have been turned down. Keep going and in the end what’s right emerges as the right solution. What is right here is that the planning permission shouldn’t have gone ahead.”

County Times:

Abermule residents Kerry, 10, and Nancy, 8, say its a bad idea because it will "stink the houses" and there will be "lots of crashing and banging" sounds coming from the site.

The protest on Saturday morning saw at least 200 people gather with placards and banners at Abermule Community Centre football fields. The march proceeded through the village towards the Business Park near the junction with A483.

Abermule Communities Together chairman, Jeff Matthews, said residents do not want “this monstrosity” in the village.

“The Abermule community has turned out today in force to protest at this huge and ugly recycling plant being placed in our village.”

Committee member Steve Meadowcroft said: “We’re not against recycling but recycling in the right place.

“This is a huge facility and the scale of which is far too big and it should be an industrial process which should take place on an industrial estate in the right environment.”

Cllr Phyl Davies, Cabinet Member for Highways, Recycling and Assets, said: “The recycling bulking facility is essential to maximise the efficiency of the collection vehicles and ensure the quality of the material we collect as we continue to increase our recycling rates in line with the Welsh Government’s targets. This site is ideally located between the two main population centres of north Powys.”

 A Powys County Council spokesperson said: “Main development works are likely to start in 2019 with the council intending to develop the site in a number of phases.

“The council is currently undertaking works to discharge planning conditions. Fencing has been installed to secure the site for everyone’s safety”.

A demonstration at County Hall in Llandrindod Wells is planned for October 18.