Support quality, independent, local journalism…that matters

From just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today

Waste company Veolia has been granted planning permission to redevelop its site in Abercarn, despite objections from residents.

The company applied for planning permission to “rearrange” the former Robinsons Manufacturing Ltd warehouse off Cemetery Road.

It now also has permission to extend the main building and build a separate storage unit after it was agreed unanimously by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s planning committee on Wednesday February 7.

During the meeting, council officer Anthony Pyne outlined the application, and noted 30 resident objections due to concerns over “noise, smoke, and smells”.

He said compromises had been made by the applicant, which initially wanted to extend working hours through the night.

Resident Mark Hillier attended the meeting and shared his experience living next to the site.

He said: “My partner who works in the emergency services has found herself sleeping on the kitchen floor because of the noise.

“We were told by the site manager that trees would be placed to cancel some of the noise. That hasn’t happened, and neither has the noise reduction cladding been installed.

“It’s currently very loud. If there was no noise we haven’t got a problem.”

Islywn’s Labour Senedd Member, Rhianon Passmore, expressed her concerns for the extension in a letter to the council that said she’d “received representations from residents living near the site who are extremely concerned about the impact that this application will have on their lives”.

Labour councillor, Andrew Whitcombe, who represents Abercarn, also objected to the plans and said: “This feels like a retrospective planning application.

“The site is already operational and how do we know that conditions placed now will be listened to by the business?

“For example, it was said that the company would work with the doors closed. I drive past the site every day and the doors are always open.”

A representative from Veolia said: “This isn’t a decision on the operations of the site, just an extension.

“We take our responsibilities in the community very seriously, and it isn’t in our interests to do something detrimental to the area or the environment.

“There is going to be some noise, but we’ve had noise assessments carried out and the noise is acceptable.”

This was also confirmed by a council offer, who said silencers have been installed to pieces of equipment as a “belt and braces” approach to noise concerns.

The application was passed unanimously by the planning committee.