A former metal scrap site could be turned into a large factory for thousands of tonnes of rubbish from household bin collections.
Veolia ES (UK) Ltd has applied to Norfolk County Council to construct a waste transfer station on the former European Metal Recycling scrap metal site off Ernest Gage Avenue on the Longwater Industrial Estate, Costessey, near Longwater Retail Park.
If approved the plant would employ 44 staff, operate Monday-Sunday, include 44 spaces for cars, and 25 spaces for heavy goods vehicles and refuse collection vehicles.
The 1.8 hectare “drop-off” site would sort through 149,000 tonnes of non-hazardous household and commercial waste each year including food waste, paper, card, glass and non-recyclable waste before being taken elsewhere, according the Veolia planning statement.
It will also include a two-storey office, a vehicle depot, to replace the existing Veolia depot on William Frost Way, and weighbridge.
Vehicles accessing the site would use William Frost Way, off the busy Longwater interchange off the A47, past the retail park and near the only access road to the Queen’s Hill housing development, which has raised concern among district and town councillors.
Costessey Town Council has asked for Veolia to contribute to a pedestrian crossing on William Frost Way due to concerns over it being dangerous.
MORE: ‘It is an accident waiting to happen’ - Urgent call for safer crossing near busy retail parkTerry Laidlaw, Costessey Town Council chairman, said: “We try at every opportunity not to stand in the way of progress but to get funding to improve safety aspects of the road network. We are trying to seek financial assistance to improve that crossing.
“Many people are dissatisfied with a lot of aspects of the suitability of the road network around Queen’s Hill and the Longwater Retail Park.”
Costessey council councillor Tim East said: “It is so important, not only to Costessey but to residents of Queen’s Hill and visitors to the retail park there is a regularised pedestrian crossing over the dual carriageway.”
MORE: Calls for new exit road from expanding Norwich estateMartin Wilby, cabinet member for highways, infrastructure and transport on the county council, said: “Improvements are required in this area to resolve existing issues on the transport network and accommodate planned growth. Some projects have already been completed, and we’re seeking funding for other key schemes.
“Recent improvements, including a free-flow slip road from William Frost Way to Dereham Road and extensive widening of a section of Dereham Road to two-lanes in either direction, have substantially improved traffic flows in the area. We are still looking to secure funding for a second road from Queen’s Hill, as set out in the Joint Core Strategy for Greater Norwich.”
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