Bosses of a controversial recycling plant built without planning permission now want to double the amount of waste it can process to half a million tonnes a year.

It has sparked fears among neighbours in Canterbury of more noise, nuisance and pollution - as well as a petition calling on the Environment Agency to block the proposal.

The application at the Shelford landfill site comes after the operator, Valencia Waste, was recently investigated by Kent County Council (KCC) over “compliance issues”.

That followed complaints about vehicles queuing along Broad Oak Road and entering the huge recycling plant before 7am - earlier than the times agreed in its planning consent.

KCC told KentOnline the situation is being monitored but “no formal action is being taken at this time”.

Valencia says the aim of its materials recycling facility (MRF) is to move waste “further up the ‘waste hierarchy’”, and upping capacity would recover more recyclables otherwise destined for landfill.

But now a petition

started by three city councillors calls on the Environment Agency to reject Valencia’s application to vary its licence until “a full and transparent assessment of the source and volume of additional waste is provided”.

The petitioners also want a comprehensive traffic and pollution impact assessment conducted and clear mitigation strategies outlined to prevent any deterioration in local air quality and community well-being.

Cllr Mel Dawkins has launched the petition with fellow St Stephen’s Ward councillor Beth Forrester and Canterbury City North representative Alister Brady.

“We believe that the health and quality of life of local residents, as well as the protection of our environment, must be prioritised in any decision regarding this application,” said Cllr Dawkins.

“It is not clear that existing concerns from residents about fencing and maintenance of site boundaries have been addressed and how this application will affect those concerns or any impact be mitigated.

“Despite efforts by residents’ associations and councillors to engage with Valencia, no notice or explanation was given for this application.

“Repeated requests have been made for a contact number for the site to be provided, without success, and when advised of residents’ concerns about this latest application, no explanation has been forthcoming, only a vague promise to provide ‘clarification soonest’.

Sturry and Broad Oak city councillor Harry McKenzie added: “Valencia must be more transparent and communicative about their plans for the Shelford Landfill Site. Residents deserve nothing less.

“We back our colleagues from St Stephen’s fully and are working with them to challenge this.”

Chairman of the Sturry and Broad Oak Residents Association (Sabora), Peta Boucher, says there are many issues with the site.

“The main ones are the number of lorries queuing and using Shalloak Road and working outside permitted hours, including Sundays, which is a dreadful kick in the teeth for residents, when you take into account the smell and noise,” she told KentOnline.

Why do they keep thinking it's acceptable to block the road like this?

KCC’s regulation committee recently considered complaints about HGVs queuing along Broad Oak Road before 7am, causing traffic congestion.

A spokesman said: "Following an investigation, the site operator explained that vehicles were arriving early and queuing on the highway due to restrictions preventing operations before 7am.

“To help alleviate congestion and improve safety, the operator had agreed to allow vehicles onto the site earlier while ensuring that no operational activity takes place until the permitted time.”

There was uproar early last year when Valencia Waste erected the large new recycling plant before getting approval from Kent County Council or an Environment Agency permit.

It sparked fears of extra lorry movements, noise and pollution, but the company was subsequently granted retrospective permission.

The MRF plant stands 11.5m high and covers an area of more than 4,000 sq m.

It has been coping with recycling up to 250,000 tonnes of commercial and industrial waste a year, separating out different recyclable materials, like plastic, wood, metals and glass, which are then transported away and sold. Some other materials are incinerated.

The company says the facility is cutting the amount of waste going into landfill and is now asking to vary its environmental permit to increase the processing capacity to 500,000 tonnes a year.

“Since the MRF has commenced operation and wastes have been processed, it has become increasingly apparent that the plant can process more waste than first anticipated,” Valencia says in its application.

Bosses claim it will not increase the volume of waste coming to the site, but simply the amount of recyclable material being extracted for recycling.

“There are no proposed changes to the types of waste which are already permitted to be accepted, waste treatment methods, nor any changes proposed to the landfill,” they add.

Bosses have not responded to KentOnline’s request for further comment.