RESIDENTS fighting attempts to build a recycling plant just metres from their homes will meet this week before planners reach a final decision.

One of London’s leading recycling specialists, Powerday, proposes to build the industrial recycling plant on the old Coal Yard site on Tavistock Road, Yiewsley, only 50 metres from the nearest houses.

A public meeting will be held with local MPs John McDonnell and John Randall on Thursday (December 5) at 7.30pm, at St Matthew’s Church in Yiewsley.

“The meeting has been called because we want to get as many people involved as possible, and hear as many different points of view,” said Cllr Dominic Gilham (Con, Yiewsley).

“But I haven’t met anyone who is in favour of the application.”

Powerday says the recycling plant is needed in order to tackle London’s massive waste problem, that sees up to 70% of waste transported to landfill sites outside of the capital.

A similar site in Willesden is achieving 100% recovery of recyclable materials, and Powerday hopes the site in Yiewsley will do the same.

Hillingdon Council’s planning committee will meet on December 10 to decide whether or not to approve the application.

If it rejects the application, it will then be considered by the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London.

If rejected by GLA, the application will go to the Government Inspectorate and Eric Pickles, the Minister for Communities and Local Government.

The final stage of consideration will need to take into account a Government directive that development should proceed, where possible, to help the growth of Britain’s economy.

“So, even if we win the battle locally, we need to stiffen our sinews for the big battle ahead,” said Jan Sweeting, secretary of the Garden City Estate Residents’ Association.

The residents’ association collected almost 4,000 signatures on nine petitions over a six-week period, including signatures from local companies and places of worship.

Each petition highlighted a different issue over the proposed plant, including round-the-clock noise, traffic congestion and likely loss to local businesses and shops.

“What we have discovered is that the message is just not getting through to the people who will be most affected,” said Ms Sweeting.

“Even now we have people living a mere 100 metres away who say that they have not been informed and know nothing.

“So, we have advertised the public meeting as far as we could in the hope that the message will indeed get across.”

The planning application can be viewed on the council website: http://planning.hillingdon.gov.uk/OcellaWeb/planningDetails?reference=18736/APP/2013/1784&from=planningSearch

For more information about the meeting, or to sign a petition, contact Jan Sweeting on jansweeting@sky.com, or 01895 443869.