Councillor Contests Waste Site Closure Over Planning Conditions

A local councillor is contesting the planned closure of a household waste recycling facility, citing the discovery of “new information.” Kirklees Council had previously announced in August its intention to close the Nab Lane site in Birstall as part of broader cost-reduction efforts. However, Josh Sheard, who serves as a councillor for the town, stated he has found planning conditions mandating that the site be restored to woodland if it remains non-operational for a period of 12 months. The council acknowledged its awareness of these conditions, adding that it is presently “exploring options” regarding the site’s future utilization. Sheard has escalated the matter to the council’s legal department. The recycling facility is scheduled to cease operations at 16:00 GMT on Sunday. This decision followed a review of all five household waste sites within the district, which determined that £7 million would be required to modernize the Nab Lane facility. According to the council, decommissioning the waste site would result in savings of £200,000 over a two-year period. Councillor Sheard, a Conservative representative, expressed his belief that the closure could result in a rise in fly-tipping incidents. He uncovered these planning conditions, which were imposed on the site, while examining earlier applications pertaining to the land. He said: “If the Nab Lane facility stops being used as a recycling centre for a period of more than 12 months, the area has be restored to woodland, with a five-year programme of aftercare to follow. “I’d have thought the council would have said it would have cost them “X” amount of money to restore the site, but they said it would save them £200,000.” Sheard further indicated his belief that the restoration efforts might lead to expenses significantly higher than the savings generated by the shutdown. In response to his concerns, Kirklees Council clarified that the environmental permit for Nab Lane would be transferred from the operating contractor back to the authority itself, a move that would not activate the aforementioned clause. A spokesperson for Kirklees Council commented: “The council was aware of the current planning conditions on the Nab Lane site prior to making the decision to close the Household Waste Recycling Centre at this location.“The savings made by the decision to close Nab Lane do not include any costs related to future use of the site and our team are currently exploring options.”