Decision on Weston-super-Mare waste bunds deferred

Mounds referred to as “bunds” which serve no apparent purpose were created around sports pitches on Drove Road Recreation Ground in April. They are made up of rubble excavated during construction works for the nearby health centre, with materials like blue rope and bricks still sticking out of the bunds between patchy planting.

Studio Hive, which is building the health centre on the rugby club car park, insists that the waste is safe. The company claims that individuals at North Somerset Council had given them the green light to put the waste on the council-owned recreation ground.

But this was not formal planning permission. Now an attempt to secure retrospective planning permission has sparked outrage among councillors.

“Nowhere in the paperwork can I see any justification for putting waste material from a development site across a sports field,” said planning committee member Peter Burden (Portishead South, Conservative) as the committee debated the application on October 15.

Ciaran Cronelley (Weston-super-Mare Winterstoke, Labour) said: “I am a bit shocked about all of this.” He said there was no assurance that asbestos and harmful materials from the health centre site had not ended up in the bunds. He added: “I ask myself the question: would I let my two year old on there knowing what I know. And the answer is no because I don’t have that assurance.”

Peter Burden (Portishead South, Conservative) said the what this actually was was a tip. He said: “Nowhere in the paperwork can I see any justification for putting waste material from a development site across a sports field.”

Dan Thomas (Congresbury and Puxton, Green) said: “I would like to know the real purpose of the bunds. […] I cannot imagine any reason why you would do this other than to make drainage considerably worse on the pitch, which is not something we need usually. The only purpose would be to get rid of potentially hazardous materials.”

Planning officers, however, said that it was not the committee’s job to question why development had happened but only if it was acceptable in planning terms. They recommended approving planning permission for the bunds, with a condition attached that they would be removed if testing showed they contained hazardous materials. They said that refusing planning permission and taking enforcement action to remove them could take a long time.

But local man Steve Herridge, who has been urging the council to take action, told the planning committee: “Approval with conditions does not give enough weight to the fact that children play here. Until this material’s suitability has been demonstrated, uncertainty remains about what lies poorly concealed beneath these mounds.

“I ask the committee to err on the side of caution and defer deciding this application until the missing evidence has been provided.”

Councillors agreed and voted to demand more evidence from the applicants and decide the application at a later date. One bund is already being removed by the applicant, as people stood on it could look into properties next to the park.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked Studio Hive if the bunds serve any purpose or if it was simply an easy way to dispose of construction waste. A spokesperson said: “The earth banks were created using surplus material generated during excavations associated with the Weston Health Hub. Reusing suitable material on site is a sustainable approach in regeneration projects.

“We can confirm that the earth banks do not contain contaminated material. Evidence of this has already been provided to North Somerset Council and we will provide any further information required to satisfy the Local Authority following the committee’s decision to defer consideration of the application.

“We appreciate that some local residents have concerns regarding the earth banks and, in response to feedback received, we will be removing the section closest to the southern boundary. Our focus remains on delivering the Weston Health Hub, which will provide important healthcare facilities and benefits for the residents of Weston-super-Mare.”