The owners of a concrete crushing plant in Worlingworth have said they will launch an appeal after failing in their retrospective bid to continue operations at the site.

Paul Lansdowne of Lansdowne Plant, in Bedfield Road, submitted a planning application to Suffolk County Council in the hope of keeping the site open.

The plants has been used as a waste and recycling centre for building materials for a number of years.

In support of the application, Lansdowne Plant said: “Recycling facilities help move waste further up the waste hierarchy by reducing the amount of waste that goes to landfill.

“The use of the site for the transfer and treatment of construction and demolition waste demonstrates a demand for the facility and the recycled aggregates it produces.”

Mr Lansdowne’s proposals sparked a backlash from the community, with the plans attracting 121 formal objections from residents of both Worlingworth and Bedfield.

Many of concerns raised focussed on the issues of noise and highway safety, with Bedfield Road frequently used by dog walkers.

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Both Worlingworth and Bedfield parish councils backed their communities and were opposed to Mr Lansdowne’s application.

One objector said: “The roads are not big enough for two cars to pass, let alone the amount of lorries which will be coming up and down the road. I can hear the activity already from my house.”

Another added: “The road and infrastructure is bad enough around these villages without adding further large lorries and muck on the roads, which are often poorly maintained.

“This type of business in a small rural community with poor access for lorries passing through is liable to lead to potential accidents due to a large number of blind spots on the roads.”

The decision on the plant was due to be made on June 10, but it was put back to July 15 after key documents were not submitted on time.

Suffolk County Council confirmed the application had been refused on Wednesday, in line with the planning officer’s recommendation.

However, Mr Lansdowne said: “We are looking to appeal the decision. We don’t know what will happen, but we hope we are successful.

“This plant is miles away from any homes. We are just another rural business that people are trying to shut down.”

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