Animal incinerator plan is on the cards

11:29am Friday 2nd May 2008

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PLANS to develop an incinerator near Kington to dispose of animal bodies have been revived.

Animal Funeral Services Ltd wants permission to improve its facilities at Litfield House, more than three years since withdrawing an application to incorporate the burning of farm stock, such as cattle, sheep and horses, in addition to its domestic animal services.

This time it wants to retain its pet cremation operations and deal with clinical waste and chemicals used in veterinary x-rays as well.

The plans are on a smaller scale to controversial proposals for the industrial disposal of farm stock made in 2004, when it was intended to process around 300kg of waste per hour. Now the plan states the amount processed would be 50kg an hour, in line with other low capacity incinerators.

A total of 150 residents signed a petition against the 2004 plans citing inadequacy of access roads and smell, disease and fume nuisance among their objections.

But the firm’s Rachael Slaughter said it wanted to restore the site after a previous incinerator burned down in 2001. She said x-ray substances intended to be held at the site for transfer would not increase traffic flow.

“Basically, we just want to put a building up and tidy up the site, and make it presentable again,” she said.

On behalf of the company, Paul Smith Associates said in the new application that it had operated on a “piece meal” basis since the 2001 fire and that development would not increase vehicles using the site as photographic waste, in particular, was collected only from existing clients during the usual conveyance of carcases.

Any new incinerator would also be limited to a height of 7.6 metres and additional fencing and landscaping would act as a screen for neighbouring properties, the nearest of which is around 100 metres away.