A NEW waste transfer station handling up to 5,000 tonnes of commercial and construction waste a year is set to be built near Worcester, despite concerns from people and parish councils.

Dynamic Construction is seeking permission to house the operation in a new nine-metre high building at Grove House Yard, just off the A38 Tewkesbury Road, at Ryall, near Upton-upon-Severn.

Although a planning application had been recommended for refusal by officers when it came before Worcestershire County Council’s planning and regulatory committee, members voted to defer a decision with a view to approval, subject to conditions.

Both Earls Croome and Ripple parish councils had requested the application be rejected, citing concerns including the impact of noise and the smell created by the station on local people. Similar concerns were expressed by people living to the south of the site, although letters received from people and businesses in or adjoining Grove House Yard itself said they had no objections in principle.

Despite the concerns, planning officer Mark Bishop said it was not considered that there would be a significant impact on people.

However, the application was being recommended for refusal as the site is not allocated as employment land in the local plan and so the development would contravene planning policy.

But committee members, who had visited the site before the meeting, voiced doubts over the way the site had been classified.

Coun Alan Amos said: “Given what is already on the site, I am amazed that anybody could come to the conclusion that it is more of a commercial yard than an industrial estate. We have got to have these sort of facilities somewhere and this site seems appropriate.”

Coun Terry Spencer said: “I was born not far away and it has always, in my mind, been an industrial site.”

Members voted in favour of Coun Amos’ proposal to defer the application “with a mind to approval”.

The waste transfer station would create five full-time jobs and handle about 100 tonnes of waste a week. It would be used by the applicant’s sister company Cleanaway.