By James HoreVILLAGERS facing the prospect of living with a huge scrapyard on their doorstep have called for a halt of “industrialisation” into the countryside.

By James Hore

VILLAGERS facing the prospect of living with a huge scrapyard on their doorstep have called for a halt of “industrialisation” into the countryside.

Ardleigh residents have reacted with shock and anger to the announcement that scrap dealers Wheelers wants to move its scrapyard from Hythe Quay in Colchester to their village.

SB Wheeler and Sons Ltd is seeking planning permission from Tendring District Council to develop offices, stores and a metal recycling centre to land off Old Ipswich Road and Wick Lane.

The company has spent thousands of pounds on an environmental impact study and is hoping to meet with concerned residents to explain its proposal.

But Ardleigh Parish Council has submitted a long list of objections to the plan, claiming it was “completely inappropriate” for a rural area.

It stated the character and appearance of the landscape would be changed and the number of lorries using a site would cause hazardous tailbacks onto the A120 slip road.

“We would reiterate that we have the strongest possible objection to this application, which would extend ribbon industrialisation into open country and would be completely contrary to any pretence of protection of the countryside,” said the parish council.

“There is a vast difference between the sale of agricultural machinery as permitted under the existing planning approval and a car/scrap merchant.”

Parish council chairman, Sally Watson, said the opposition to SB Wheeler and Sons Ltd's plan was unanimous.

“It is totally inappropriate for a rural area and there is unanimous opposition to this,” she added.

No-one from SB Wheeler and Sons Ltd was available for comment yesterday.

james.hore@eadt.co.uk