POWYS Council will this week lodge a new application to allow it to run a recycling centre at Abermule – and could build a water tank on the site to help it overcome fire concerns.

In March, Natural Resources Wales rejected the council's application for an environmental permit for the North Powys Bulking Facility in Abermule.

At the time, the Liberal Democrats in Powys criticised the council's "mismanagement" of the project, although the authority said at the time it intended to appeal the decision.

Now the council has confirmed it is resubmitting its plans this week, saying that the refusal was because of "only a few minor and easily overcome issues identified".

To address the main point raised in the NRW report, and to strengthen the fire prevention and mitigation plan for the facility, the council is also submitting a planning application to install a water tank on site.

“Plans for the purpose-built site have been carefully considered, taking into account the issues raised by the local community,” said Cllr Jackie Charlton, the council's new cabinet member for a greener Powys.

“We understand their concern at the possibility of taking residual waste to the site, but we would reiterate the previous position that there are no current plans to do so.

"There is an Energy from Waste contract in place for collected residual waste with an arrangement for it to be bulked at a transfer station in Welshpool, albeit at additional cost to the council, and there are no current plans for this to change.

“The environmental permit application has been reassessed and all issues raised by NRW back in the spring have now been addressed. The safe operation of the site is paramount, and the installation of the water tank will be in accordance with the latest guidance from NRW and should give some comfort to the community who have expressed concern about not having enough water on site in the event of an emergency.

“Ensuring this state-of-the-art facility is up and running effectively and safely as soon as possible is vital for us to continue to deliver a sustainable service in a cleaner and greener way, whilst meeting the increasingly demanding Welsh Government statutory recycling targets.”

Specifically designed to provide a workspace for our waste and recycling vehicles, crews and support staff, the site is already an official operating centre.

From mid-July the service will operate from the new facility, however no operations requiring an NRW Environmental Permit will take place without the permit being in place.