Composting farm plans set to be decided

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Glouchester Gazatte

Composting farm plans set to be decided

By _Ali Dent_ (mailto:ali.dent@...)

(http://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/latestnews/newsroundup/display.var.2377714.\

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PLANS to reopen a controversial composting farm in Old Sodbury are set to be

decided by planners next week..

The owners of Southcroft Farm, father and son duo and Simon ,

sparked a bitter campaign by villagers who are determined to stop the farm

being used as a compost facility ever again.

Residents have staged protests outside the farm during the four-year dispute

which has divided the village.

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Many are worried the open-air composting is dangerous to people's health and

side effects will go unnoticed for years.

Chairman of the Old Sodbury Compost Farm Action Group Coulthard has

claimed it could even lead to a deadly illness, Aspergillus.

She said: " If the Southcroft Farm site goes ahead, where composting is

carried out in the open air Aspergillus and other emissions will be pumped into

the air.

" Many villagers, some of whom are much more vulnerable to the affects of

Aspergillus, will be subject to its effects.

" This is particularly concerning when you consider there are 60 or more

children at Old Sodbury Primary School which is within 250 metres of the site. "

However, the farm has passed all safety inspections.

Simon said: " We just don't why people in the village are so opposed

to us.

" We have always said people are welcome to have a look around the site and we

do not want to antagonise anyone. "

Operations were forced to halt at the site in 2007 when waste from the newly

established twin-bin scheme in South Gloucestershire was contaminated and

created offensive smells.

" We found all sorts in the waste SITA delivered including a chopped up

motorbike, " said Mr . " We knew things weren't right and we admitted that

which is why we stopped operating. "

The s are now bidding for planning permission to restart open-air

composting for a trial two-year period and hope to take waste from within South

Gloucestershire.

" We believe we have addressed the problems and we would like to prove we can

do it, " added Mr .

The plans will be discussed at South Gloucestershire Council's development

control (east) at the authority's Kingswood offices on Thursday, July 10.

8:51am today

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