More residents have voiced their concerns over industrial unit in Northampton

"We are concerned about the vehicles, dirt, dust and noise coming from that particular site."
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More residents in the Ecton Brook and Billing Aquadrome area of the town have raised their concerns over the nearby industrial units they live and work next to.

This comes after Sheryl Hadfield, a resident at a caravan park in Lower Ecton Lane, voiced her concerns about the Mick George Recycling Centre site this week. Sheryl has been living on the caravan park for six years - others have been living there for 35 years and Mick George has been in the area since 2007.

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The mother-of-three believes the site is creating a large amount of dust in the area and she is concerned about the impact on Ecton Brook Primary School, Billing Aquadrome, Ecton Village and her nearby neighbours.

The Google map shows the Lower Ecton Lane caravan park in the top left hand corner, close to the A45The Google map shows the Lower Ecton Lane caravan park in the top left hand corner, close to the A45
The Google map shows the Lower Ecton Lane caravan park in the top left hand corner, close to the A45

Mick George's site manages multiple materials including asbestos, bricks, contaminated soil, wood chippings and more.

Wendy Stephens, a resident in nearby Ecton village and editor of the local Ecton View magazine, has voiced her support for Sheryl, who has been acting as a spokesperson for the community on the issue.

Wendy said: "We share Sheryl's concerns with the development of the Mick George site and the impact it is having on Sheryl, Ecton Brook Primary School, everyone at Billing Aquadrome and the village of Ecton.

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"We are concerned about the vehicles, dirt, dust and noise coming from that particular site."

The entrance to the Mick George site in Lower Ecton Lane. Mick George has offered to meet residents of the caravan park but says it has had no previous complaints since it has been on siteThe entrance to the Mick George site in Lower Ecton Lane. Mick George has offered to meet residents of the caravan park but says it has had no previous complaints since it has been on site
The entrance to the Mick George site in Lower Ecton Lane. Mick George has offered to meet residents of the caravan park but says it has had no previous complaints since it has been on site

Wendy said if the sewage treatment works' smells can reach Ecton village then she believes the dust reportedly emitted from Mick George can reach residents, too.

The joint headteachers at Ecton Brook Primary School also released a short statement on the issue following Sheryl's initial concerns.

The school's Mr Woods and Mrs Archer said: "Whenever any industrial units are close to a school we would always wish all checks on air quality and other environmental factors which could impact on pupils well-being have been fully carried out to ensure the safety of our students."

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Cogenhoe Parish Council also said it has had complaints from residents about dust in the area.

The Mick George Recycling CentreThe Mick George Recycling Centre
The Mick George Recycling Centre

A parish council spokeswoman said: "We have had complaints from residents in Cogenhoe about dust pollution and these have been reported to the Environment Agency and the Environmental Health team at Northampton Borough Council."

Sheryl will be meeting with representatives of the centre later this month, along with the leader of the Labour group on Northampton Borough Council. Mick George says it has not had any issues previously and is regularly visited by the Environment Agency.

A spokesperson for Mick George told the Chronicle & Echo this week that the Environment Agency (EA) has not reported any problems with waste pollution, and that the firm has not experienced any issues to date.

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The spokesperson said: "We are not the only operator on the Lower Ecton Lane Site at Great Billing, which is a designated commercial industrial area in the local waste and mineral zone.

"Our site is subject to regular compliance and monitoring visits from the Environment Agency, none of which have reported any such problems as those being alleged.

"We have been operating on the site since 2007, have been a member and attended local liaison group meetings organised by the local parish council since we took up occupation over 13 years ago and not experienced any problems as a result of our site operations to date."

The spokesperson said the site was a 'strategic location' which deals with a 'wide range of waste'.

"The Great Billing Waste Transfer Station is a strategic location dealing with a wide range of waste derived within Northamptonshire achieving recycling rates in excess of 90 per cent."