Metal recycling facility passed on appeal
The planning and development team at Jones Lang LaSalle have won a planning appeal against Halton Council on behalf of European Metal Recycling to build a recycling facility in Widnes.
EMR wants to construct the £3m metal recycling plant on a 4.5-acre site previously occupied by Merseyside Coatings.
EMR submitted its application in October 2012 for the construction and operation of a metal recycling facility after acquiring the site.
The planning application was refused by Halton Council, based on the negative impact that the proposal would have on residents' outlook, combined with the perception of the use, being considered to be detrimental to the local residential area and amenity of local residents.
The planning team at Jones Lang LaSalle considered that the reason upon for refusal could not be justified and submitted an appeal. The appeal was allowed with the inspector awarding full costs against the council, finding that it had failed to properly assess the visual harm from the proposal after not accepting its own in-house design and development expertise.
Frazer Sandwith, associate director at Jones Lang LaSalle, said: "We have worked hard to ensure that the application received a fair hearing, after the Council delayed a development which should clearly have been permitted."
