Permission has been granted to convert a former motocross track near Winchester into an excavation waste facility despite residents’ concerns over road safety.
As previously reported, the plan by applicant G. K. Benford and Co, will see road planings for crushing and screening imported and stored to create recycled aggregate, as well as a new silo for concrete batching.
Hampshire County Council has approved the conversion of the site in Down Farm Lane, Headbourne Worthy, into a construction, demolition, excavation (CDE) waste recycling and aggregate processing facility.
READ MORE: Former motocross track set to turn into waste facility
Councillor Simon Borthwick, speaking on behalf of Littleton and Harestock Parish Council, said the area is specifically concerned with the industrialisation of the Three Maids Hill area.
Recent development include a solar farm and EV charging hub near the interchange with the A34.
Regarding fears that the road would become unsafe due to lorry movements in residential built-up areas, Mr Borthwick urged the council to create a “comprehensive” transport strategy to minimise the development’s impact.
On behalf of the applicant, Alison Crooks said that their highways officer is working with Hampshire County Council to resolve any outstanding matters relating to highway capacity and site access.
“The technical assessments have assessed the highway capacity, including the contribution of other developments in the area, and as a result, the highway authority, National Highways and Winchester City Council have no objections to the scheme,” she said.
“The site access would be improved to accommodate vehicles using the site.”
With the approval, the site will be separated into three separate plots.
Plot A will be a recycled waste inert soils and concrete, Plot B will be a storage and operations site for an off-site concrete manufacturing business, and Plot C will be a road planing storage and recycling facility.
Plot A, currently occupied by Pringle Reclaim Limited – a company specialising in treating construction waste – received an environmental permit in July 2022 that allowed it to treat 75,000 tonnes annually of waste to produce soil aggregates and substitutes.
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Anticipated vehicle movements associated with the Pringle operation are estimated to be 42 lorries daily, Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm, and Saturdays, 7am to midday.
The central part, plot B, will be occupied by Hilcon, a family-run business that stores aggregates and materials for concrete batching.
It is estimated that 72 lorries make daily trips for the Hilcon operation, Monday to Friday from 7 am to 4 pm and Saturdays from 7 am to midday.
RPS, which provides highway maintenance support across the county, will occupy the eastern part of the site, plot C.
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