NEWS FEED
A consultation is underway on potential locations for future mineral sites and waste and recycling facilities across Dorset.
Dorset County Council, together with Bournemouth and Poole councils, is encouraging people to give their opinions and highlight local issues before the final plans are published. The consultation started on 26 May and runs for eight weeks until 21 July.
The councils say the draft Mineral Sites Plan provides an update of work already going on and have explained that as well as a number of possible sites that were included in the consultation last summer 2015, there are four new or amended sites now open for consultation.
These include possible locations for quarries at Gallows Hill and Philliol’s Farm in Bere Regis, Henbury Farm in Sturminster Marshall and Swanworth Quarry in Worth Matravers.
A second document, the draft Waste Plan, has also been published. It considers what kind of waste is being produced in Dorset, how it is currently being managed and how this might change. It also seeks to identify sites to meet the need for new waste management facilities in the future.
The proposals include new or improved household recycling facilities or transfer stations in five areas: Blandford, Ferndown, Gillingham, Dorchester and Wareham.
The councils say there is also a need for new facilities to treat black bag waste and bulky waste. A number of sites are under consideration: Ferndown and Woolsbridge in East Dorset; Mannings Heath and Canford Magna in Poole; and Parley in Christchurch.
In addition, two sites are being considered for extensions to sewage treatment works at Maiden Newton and Gillingham.
Land at Bourne Park, Piddlehinton is being considered for green waste composting and Swanworth Quarry is being considered for additional quantities of inert filling within the existing quarry.
“We strongly encourage people to give us their views on the proposals,” said Cllr Peter Finney, Dorset County Council’s cabinet member for the environment, infrastructure and highways. “This will help us to decide on the most suitable sites to take forward to protect the environment and also building a sustainable economy for the future.”
To have your say on either or both documents, submit your comments online at www.dorsetforyou.com/consultation or by completing a response form which can be requested from the minerals and waste planning policy team on 01305 228585 or by emailing mwdf@dorsetcc.gov.uk or for more information visit www.dorsetforyou.com/mineral-sites and www.dorsetforyou.com/waste-plan
