Residents of the Hurdsfield area in Macclesfield have expressed their opposition to proposals to build a recycling centre at the end of a residential road.

Henshaws Envirocare has applied for planning permission to change the use of land at the end of Withyfold Drive from a vehicle recovery depot to a waste recycling centre.

Chief among the concerns for residents and the local representatives are the number and size of the vehicles that are going up the residential road to access the Mansfield House site, even before planning permission has been given.

A resident of Withyfold Drive who requested to remain anonymous said that she had moved onto the street in October, but would have reconsidered had she known about the plans.

The mother of two told Macclesfield Nub News: "Withyfold Drive is a small road and the residents park on both sides of the road as not everyone has their own drive, so these big wagons are weaving in and out.

"We've had really big, long wagons with massive cement A-frames going up and down. We've had cement mixers; the other week it must have been about 20 cement mixers going down and back in a day."

One of her big worries is the safety of her children and dog as she said they often have to walk on the road as the footpath is too narrow.

"I've got a four-and-a-half-year-old and a nearly two-year-old; my oldest one knows how to open the front door and my youngest can open it if I've potentially forgotten to lock it. They can both get out the front gate, so it worries me that massive wagons are going past when the pavements not very wide," the resident said.

HGV's driving through on this road formed part of the grounds for the objection at the latest meeting of Macclesfield town council's planning committee on 1st May.

In a transport statement submitted alongside their planning application, consultants acting on Henshaw's behalf, wrote: "The proposed development will not result in a material change in HGV movements, with a reduction in overall vehicle movements, when compared to that which could be generated by the former use of the site."

On site access, the consultants stated: "The site will be accessed via Withyfold Drive which is the site's main established access. However, discussions with adjacent landowners are currently ongoing with respect to the possibility of identifying an alternative access to the site."

They have applied for initial permission for three years to access the site via Withyfold drive, subject to the discussion and failure to secure alternate access and the extension of permission, they would resort back to using the site as a car depot.

This has not allayed residents' fears, as there has been a high volume of traffic driving up the road to access the site in recent weeks, despite no planning decision being made.

The resident also questioned whether they are sticking within the proposed times of operation for the site, between 8am and 6pm, as she claims vehicles have been driving into the site earlier than this.

"They're already not respecting the times now, so what will it be like when they're up and running?" she said.

Cllr Stephen Carter, who represents the Hurdsfield ward at Cheshire East Council, told Nub News that on one day there were 35 vehicles accessing the site.

Following a query from the resident about what work was happening at the site, a council planning officer responded: "At this time, they [Henshaw's Envirocare] state that the site's use is limited to the storage of some vehicles and plant.

"They further state that recent activity at the site has been purely resurfacing works to concrete an existing apron of tarmac surfacing while operations are otherwise quiet."

The officer also said the highways department were investigating complaints of damage to curbs and grass verges caused by the HGV's.

Cllr Carter said it was his understanding that any works which have been carried out by Henshaws in recent weeks do not require planning permission.

He added: "The big concern from residents was that they knew a planning application has been put in, and Henshaws has every right to do that, but the application hadn't been heard, yet all these wagons were coming down this small street and that's what really agitated residents."

Cllr Carter said that he and his town council colleague, Cllr Sarah Bennett- Wake, wrote to the firm to tell them they did not have to do this work at a time "when so many of their neighbours are locked down, some are ill and some are grieving".

On the application, Cllr Carter said: "Most people, I would argue, in and around that area don't want a tip in what is essentially a residential area. I know it's on the edge of an industrial zone, but even within that there are many organisations on there of mixed-use."

Many neighbouring households and organisations have also made their opposition known to the council. Cllr Carter said one neighbouring business has planned to pull out of the area if permission is granted.

In total, there have been 179 comments submitted on this application from members of the public; the vast majority of which raised concerns about the proposed development of the site.

Hurdsfield Community Primary School, which is based on Hulley Road, submitted an objection to Cheshire East on a number of grounds, including safety.

They wrote: "The safety of the children who both attend our school and others within the local area would be in jeopardy as large vehicles will be travelling through the estate making the roads more hazardous for children and families."

The school added that the area already has "inordinate" levels of heavy traffic and large vehicles in the local area.

In the transport statement, Henshaw's consultants pointed out that there had been no "recorded accidents" along Withyfold Drive between 1st January 2014 and 31st December 2018 during the sites previous use as a vehicle depot.

The school questioned why the appropriateness of "building a large waste centre in the centre of a housing estate".

Noise and air pollution were other areas of concern highlighted by the town council's planning committee.

Cllr Bennett-Wake, who represents the area at the town council, told the committee: "I note that lorries over 3.5 tonnes emit more fumes and if they are pre-2006, they contravene emissions regulations.

"If we look at the tartan rug health profiles for wards in Macclesfield from 2017, admissions to hospital and deaths for respiratory disease in south ward and Hurdsfield far outweigh the national average. There are already too many vehicles on the road in Macclesfield, we don't need anymore."

The Withyfold Drive resident also criticised the waste firm's timing for the work, claiming that residents are not able to mount a coordinated opposition due to the restrictions in place due to coronavirus.

Henshaws currently operates a larger site on Moss Lane, which is due to close to make way for housing.

In a submission from consultants, they say that should they not receive permission to build on the Withyfold Drive site, 40 staff members would lose their jobs once the Moss Lane premises close.

Macclesfield Nub News contacted Henshaws Envirocare to comment on the application, but no response has been given. This story will be updated with their responses if and when it is received.

You can view the planning application and all associated documents on Cheshire East Council's planning website.

The application is due to be decided by a borough planning committee, but the date is currently unknown due to disruption caused by the lockdown.