Angry business owners in and around Tower Park are urging the public to make their views known in a bid to stop the Mannings Heath site becoming Dorset’s new waste plant before the final deadline, Thursday July 21.
There are only two days left to register objections on the Dorset County Council website, in order to stop the development of the Mannings Heath site. Mannings Heath is the area adjacent to Poole’s popular leisure facility Tower Park and has been identified as a good strategic location for a new waste plant, where general waste including food, will be transported from across Dorset. There is a unified sentiment among the businesses in the vicinity that despite the need for a waste plant, Mannings Heath is not the appropriate location.
Ben Pratten, managing director, SMD Ltd said: “I was concerned when the ‘Draft Waste Plan’ was proposed identifying Mannings Heath as a viable site. Many residents and businesses in the area share my view as their livelihoods could suffer as a result of the development of the waste plant.
“As a local business owner myself I would seriously consider moving my company from a site that has the potential to cause issues to my workforce and prospective recruitment.”
Currently the Mannings Heath site is in a state of public consultation, where people affected by the development, including local residents and businesses, have the opportunity to voice their concerns. There are only two days left in the public consultation phase, the final deadline is Thursday July 21.
Tom Colbourne, managing director, T.A. Colbourne Projects Limited added: “We urge local residents and businesses, as well as people who regularly visit Tower Park, to consider the effects the new site will have on you and register your objections before the deadline this week.”
If the Mannings Heath site was to become Dorset’s waste plant, lorry movements to the area would increase to at least 100 per day. The streets surrounding Tower Park are known to the council at present as high risk traffic areas; this would increase if the site was to be developed.
Mannings Heath is on elevated land behind Poole’s popular leisure facility Tower Park, and will increase: odour across the area, the pest population, the risk of fire as well as having a negative visual impact on the area.
To register objections visit: www.dorsetforyou.com/waste-plan click ‘Waste Consultation Portal’ situated in the middle of this page, where you can view and comment on the proposal. The council will however also accept telephone and e-mail objections.
Contact Email: mwdf@dorsetcc.gov.uk
Contact Telephone: 01305 228 585 (Dorset County Council’s Offices)