Pembrokeshire County Council have responded this week to the outcry which has arisen over controversial plans to establish a new Civic Amenity and Recycling Centre near New Hedges.

The site along the A478 road neighbours the Brooklands Nursing Home and has led to a petition being raised by its owners against the proposals.

But the council are concerned that many misconceptions have been bandied about regarding the plan and claim that the state-of-the-art facility would have minimal impact on the surrounding area.

In a press statement issued yesterday (Thursday), they said that the new facility would boost recycling rates in the area by being easier to access, and would take general household residual waste as well as recyclables including steel and aluminium cans, green garden waste, paper and glass.

Meanwhile, those interested in finding out more about the proposals are welcome to attend an information exhibition which is taking place next Wednesday, August 22, at New Hedges Village Hall between 4 and 7 pm.

Following a rigorous assessment of possible sites across the south-east of the countyl, the site at New Hedges has been identified as the most appropriate with the best available accessibility.

Clr. Ken Rowlands, cabinet member for environmental and Regulatory Services at Pembrokeshire County Council, said: "We needed to find a suitable alternative to the current civic amenity site for the south-east of Pembrokeshire which is at The Salterns, Tenby. The Salterns is no longer fit for purpose, being small, cramped and difficult to access. Some of the areas can only be accessed by climbing up steps, so it is particularly unsuitable for older people and the infirm. It is also operating at around 60 per cent for recycling, whereas other facilities of this kind in the county recycle above 70 per cent of all waste received.

"After a detailed assessment, we identified New Hedges as the best option and most suitable site for the state-of-the-art facility as it offers space to expand and improve recycling facilities, and is also easier for the public to access."

An important benefit that the New Hedges site offers is that it is large enough for the facility to be designed in a way to minimise any form of impact on neighbouring properties. It also offers excellent access to the public from the A478.

The facility has been designed to be sympathetic to its environment, with existing trees and shrub retained and new ones planted, and with the access road and the waste containers sunk below road level so as not to be seen by the nearest property or from the main road.

Any risk of odour from the site will be kept at an absolute minimum with any residual waste being compacted and kept in enclosed sealed containers under a canopy. These are designed in the plans to be situated over 130 metres away from the nearest property, and will be removed from the site several times a week.

Noise and extra traffic has also been fully considered with detailed reports showing that the noise levels produced by the facility will be lower than the average background noise already generated by traffic on the A478. Traffic impact is expected to be negligible, with the new development expecting to increase average daily traffic volumes on the A478 to 10,586 along the New Hedges route, which already sees a daily average of 9,900 vehicles.

Clr. Rowlands continued: "We would like to assure the public that very careful consideration has been put into the proposed site plan to ensure that the facility will have minimal impact on the neighbouring community, with factors such as noise, smell, traffic and landscape all considered in full.

"The proposed new site is due to bring many positive benefits to the area and we are confident that by providing residents in the south-east of Pembrokeshire with improved facilities and better access, recycling rates at the new facility could increase to above 70 per cent."