A METAL waste refinery is set to be built 100 metres from residential homes after a controversial planning application was approved by Worcestershire County Council.
The precious metals recovery facility, owned by Kaug Refinery Services Ltd (KRS), wants to move its factory from Birmingham to the Moons Moat industrial estate in Redditch.
The application for the change of use for the site was approved at the Worcestershire County Council planning meeting on Tuesday.
More than 600 Redditch residents have lodged complains about the factory, saying not only will it create noise pollution but it will cause environmental damage.
Speaking in front of councillors, one resident, Matt Newman, argued that the refinery would bring no benefit to the town.
He said: “There have been several areas identified which would be ideal for a refinery, none of which are Moons Moat.
“So why should it be positioned here?
“North Moons Moat is a light industry estate.
“A refinery utilising the hazardous chemicals they would be is not light industry.”
He said he also feared the Environment Agency lacked the resources to monitor any fumes emitted from the site.
At the meeting, Coun Matt Dormer, the leader of Redditch Borough Council and the authority’s portfolio holder for planning, raised concerns about the impact on the environment.
He said afterwards, he was disappointed the application was approved but not surprised.
“From a planning perspective, the right thing to do was to approve the application – that doesn’t mean I don’t understand the residents’ frustrations.
“But residents needn’t lose heart.
“The company now need to be held to account by the Environment Agency and other bodies to ensure they meet requirements.
“They have tough measures to meet.”
KRS recovers and refines precious metals from waste, including industrial materials, such as cyanide solutions and acids.
The company’s plan will see an existing industrial unit converted for smelting and chemical recycling.
As the plant will emit nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere, the company must still obtain air quality permits from the Environment Agency (EA) and Worcestershire Regulatory Services.
Dr David Young, KRS’ planning agent, said: “We are not being forced to relocate and are currently operating within the EA rules.
“We have deliberately chosen an industrial estate as the new base and the smelting and recycling would be on an extremely small-scale.”
