COMMUNITY leaders are campaigning to stop a waste site’s plan to expand.

Councillors in Buckley have hit out at proposals to allow the AD Waste site in Buckley to hold food waste from across the county for up two 48 hours at a site near a housing estate.

Concerned residents already ‘bombarded’ by traffic and noise from the site on Spencer Industrial Estate feel they could suffer even more a town council meeting was told.

Cllr Mike Peers, a member of Flintshire Council’s planning committee, said he was in favour of recycling but his preliminary view was that the site was outgrowing its size.

He said: “It is operating without the required planning permission.

“I have had complaints from residents about the number of vehicles, particularly on a Sunday, and the current operating hours until 8pm are unworkable.”

Cllr Dennis Hutchinson said he was worried about the amount of trade waste handled at the site and the potential for food to be stored for more than two days.

He said: “The application is for it to be used as a holding site for waste food for up to 48 hours. I’m concerned about the smell.

“I am not convinced this is the right site for it.

“I recommended refusal, there has been no consultation on this. This site is close to a housing estate.”

AD Waste, set to be taken in-house by Flintshire Council, could hold the waste if the council’s trial recycling plan is introduced across the county.

Residents near the site and along the route towards it have made a number of complaints about noise and operating hours.

Cllr Carol Ellis lives nearby and said it could be difficult to sleep in after 7.30am on a Sunday morning.

She said: “Enough is enough. They are ruining the quality of people’s lives.

“It is time to stand up and say we have had enough of it."

A council spokesperson said the AD Waste site had evolved to meet ‘operational and legislative requirements’ to keep waste away from landfill and promote recycling.

She said: “The site is currently used as a materials recycling and transfer centre for the waste collected from Flintshire County Council household waste sites and a recently introduced pilot food waste scheme.

“In response, AD Waste submitted a planning application to cover all of the activities that are necessary at the site.

“The planning application is out to consultation and is currently under consideration and will be determined at a planning and development control committee.”