Powys County Council (PCC) have been given an extension on their application to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) for an environment permit to run the North Powys Bulking Facility at Abermule.
Questions on how the council will handle safety issues at the site that should have been answered by November 1 need to be sent to NRW by November 12.
The Welsh Government’s environment body, Natural Resources Wales (NRW), has allowed a deadline extension to provide the information in what is called a “Schedule 5 Notice” as part of the Environment Permit application process.
In October the council had said it had “every confidence” of meeting the November 1 deadline.
A spokesperson for PCC said: “Applying for a permit is not a simple process and it is of course important that we answer all of NRWs questions as fully as possible in order to minimise any further request.
“Gathering together all the required information does involve several parties which can take time.
“This is why we requested a short extension to the deadline which was granted by NRW.”
“We don’t anticipate requiring a further extension but there still may be a requirement to clarify any further issues that NRW may have as a result of our submission.”
A spokesman for NRW explained that when the process is complete they will reach a draft decision on whether to grant or refuse the application.
NRW said: “We will then hold a second public consultation on our draft decision, again taking into consideration any relevant comments before reaching a final decision.”
Documents also show that the cost of the £4.1 million project have also increased.
Local campaigners Abermule Communities Together (ACT) have stressed their fears of a fire breaking out at the facility and were highlighted over the summer after a fire at Potters recycling centre in Welshpool.
One of the questions asked by NRW is on the fire prevention and mitigation plan for the site.
A report updating the council’s cabinet on the changes being made to the Capital (Building) Budget forecast for 2021/22 shows that £170,000 is being moved from the money set aside to South Powys Bulking Site Project at Cwrt y Plyffin near Brecon to Abermule.
This money transfer known as a “virement.”
The report which was approved by councillors at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, November 2, said: “In order to comply with recently updated environmental permit conditions, additional fire management measures are required at the North Powys Bulking Site.
“The project has also seen additional costs due to ongoing Covid-19 measures and increased material and plant costs.”
The site is supposed to receive recycling collected from households across Montgomeryshire, where it will be squashed together or “bulked,” so that it can be more easily transported to processors to turn into new products.
In August 2018, planning permission was given for the scheme.
In May 2019 the council’s cabinet voted unanimously in favour of going ahead with the scheme after a full council meeting had urged them to refuse it.
The council have said that the facility is needed so that they can hit Welsh Government recycling targets.
