Somerset Councillor has raised concerns on behalf of Westonzoyland parish council regarding ongoing enforcement issues at the Towens Recycled Aggregates site.
Councillor Diogo Rodrigues, who represents the Bridgwater East and Bawdrip ward, voiced his frustration over the lack of progress in addressing multiple potential issues concerning transport, environmental impact, and potential breaches of planning conditions at a Full Council meeting on Thursday, September 26.
Mr Rodrigues stated: “Westonzoyland Parish Council first raised concerns to this council back around about the August 9, 2023, covering areas of concern around transport, environmental impact, and potential breaches of planning conditions. The parish council went on to provide further detail in December 2023 and again in June and July of this year, but they're yet to see any change or adequate response.”
In response, Councillor Mike Rigby, Lead Member for Economic Development, Planning, and Assets, acknowledged the council’s receipt of numerous reports from various individuals and groups.
Mr Rigby confirmed that both the Area Enforcement Team and the Minerals and Waste Enforcement Team are currently collaborating to address the issues across three separate sites. He said: “The two teams are working together to establish exactly what is occurring at each of the three sites. There's been constructive dialogue with regard to the recycling centre and regularising the current uses, and it is anticipated that a planning application will be received in the near future, which will be subject to the usual consultation processes."
Councillor Rigby also outlined a course of action, should the planning application be refused: “Once that process has been completed, if, for example, the planning application were refused, then we would look again at enforcement action to deal with those issues covered by the retrospective application.”
“I have to visit Westonzoyland for other reasons in the next week, so I'll go and have a bit of a look at that myself, and I'm happy to have a conversation with Councillor Rodrigues once I've done that”, Mr Rigby explained.
The Towens Recycled Aggregates site is situated on land at the southern section of the former RAF Westonzoyland base.
