The Environmental Services Association (ESA) has today (Friday 18 October 2024) published a new report highlighting the detrimental impacts of building new housing too close to existing waste management facilities.

The close proximity of new housing, in some cases being built right up against an existing waste site boundary, can result in additional operational constraints being imposed on waste management facilities in order to mitigate potential impacts on new residents. Unfortunately, this can undermine both the efficient recycling and processing of waste at these sites and their vital role in meeting local, essential, waste management requirements. 

The report, entitled A review of the encroachment of residential developments on waste management facilities in England was commissioned by the ESA and authored by expert independent consultancy MJCA. 

With planning authorities under ever increasing pressure to meet housing delivery targets, and availability of land at a premium in many areas, the report makes a number of practical recommendations to planners to ensure that needs for new housing are adequately balanced with the need to protect waste operations.

The report recommends:

• Training for Planning Officers on the issues of relative siting of residential development and waste management facilities; 
• Strengthening of waste facility safeguarding and the weight given to issues arising from encroachment in the planning balance; 
• Better and consistent engagement/consultation between residential developers, waste operators and Planning Officers on residential and reserved matters applications; 
• Clear expectations from the outset of technical supporting statements for residential development and the carrying-forward of any mitigation to the build out stage;
•  Suitable sign-off by building inspectors against mitigation measures and enforcement where necessary. 

The report also contains a number of real-world detailed case studies where residential development has encroached upon waste management facilities, and the outcomes. 

Executive Director of the ESA, Jacob Hayler, said: “Meeting housing demand should not come at the expense of delivering infrastructure vital for other parts of the economy, such as waste management facilities. 

Planners should be sensitive to the potential impacts on waste management facilities when balancing decisions about where to permit new housing. Many potential issues could be identified and addressed through dialogue with waste site operators, while mitigation measures proposed by housing developers during planning should be carried through to construction and more readily enforced by local authorities.

Our report aims to positively contribute to the debate and offers a number of practical recommendations for earlier and stronger communications with operators when housing is proposed in close proximity to a waste management facility. With appropriate design considerations factored into nearby housing development there is no reason why waste management facilities cannot co-exist with, and be good neighbours to, other more sensitive development.”