Example Letter - 1

Important: Avoid copying messages word-for-word. Identical submissions will only be counted once.

For example, if 20 people send the same text, it will still be treated as a single response.

To make sure your perspective is recognised, take a moment to personalise your message. Explain how this issue has affected you or your household, describe its impact on your daily routine, and share your thoughts on the risks of Asphalt production so close to homes, schools, and sensitive wildlife habitats.

Your individual story carries weight, so ensure it comes through clearly in your response.

Example Email/Letter to - Hertfordshire County Council Spatial Planning department spatialplanning@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Dear Planning Officer,

I am writing in response to the development of an asphalt plant at the B.P. Mitchell Inert Recycling Centre, Cole Green Lane, Welwyn Garden City, SG14 2NR. I wish to formally object to the Planning Agent’s assertion that this new facility would be “ancillary” to the existing waste management use of the site.

1. Misuse of the Term “Ancillary”
The term “ancillary” implies a subordinate function that supports the primary activity. In this case, asphalt production is a standalone industrial process. It is not a minor or incidental extension of inert waste recycling. The scale, emissions, and operational characteristics of an asphalt plant are materially different and cannot be considered subordinate.

2. Material Change of Use
The introduction of an asphalt plant represents a material change of use. It introduces a new industrial activity (Use Class B2) to a site previously operating under waste management permissions. This change requires full planning scrutiny, including environmental impact assessment and public consultation, not a reclassification under existing permissions.

3. Lack of Functional Integration
There is no clear evidence that the asphalt plant would rely primarily on recycled materials from the site. If the plant is intended to serve external contracts or produce asphalt for off-site use, it constitutes a separate commercial enterprise. This undermines any claim of functional dependency or subordination.

4. Environmental and Community Impact
The proposed plant would introduce significant new impacts, including:

Potential to increase HGV traffic and associated noise
Air pollution, odour and noise disturbance from bitumen processing
Visual intrusion and industrial intensification in a sensitive area close to wildlife and residential areas.

These impacts are not incidental - they are defining characteristics of a new industrial use and must be assessed accordingly.

5. Policy and Precedent Concerns
Allowing this development under the guise of “ancillary use” sets a concerning precedent. It risks enabling industrial expansion without proper oversight and undermines the integrity of planning controls. It also conflicts with local and national policies that require clear justification for co-location and prioritise environmental protection and community wellbeing.

Conclusion
I respectfully urge the Planning Authority to reject the claim that the proposed asphalt plant is ancillary to the existing waste management use. This development represents a distinct industrial operation and must be subject to a separate planning application, full environmental scrutiny, neighbouring consultation and robust public engagement.

Thank you for considering this objection.

Yours sincerely,