A major political row has erupted over Burnley Council’s approval of a new waste transfer station (WTS) on the Heasandford Industrial Estate — a project officials say will save taxpayers £1.6m a year but which opponents claim will bring foul odours, vermin, and extra traffic to the area.
The council’s executive committee approved the plan at a meeting on Wednesday night, despite fierce opposition from Labour group leader Cllr Mark Townsend and hundreds of residents.
The development involves buying a site in Widow Hill Road, just 400 metres from the council’s current vehicle depot, for £361,000. The existing depot site would then be transformed into an enclosed WTS — an industrial facility where waste is stored temporarily before being taken elsewhere for disposal.
The scheme is designed to be operational by April 1, 2026, when Lancashire County Council’s contract with SUEZ to use the Whinney Hill landfill site ends. Without the facility, Burnley’s bin lorries would need to make multiple 23-mile trips each day to Leyland, disrupting collections and significantly increasing costs.
Council environment boss Cllr Howard Baker said:
“This plan ensures Burnley meets new waste disposal rules while reducing as far as possible any extra burden on taxpayers. To be clear, these plans do not create a new landfill site in Burnley. The transfer station will be an enclosed facility, emptied daily, with filtered air extraction to prevent odours at a location 500 metres away from the nearest residential home. On this basis, residents should not be concerned about noise, rats or seagulls.”
According to council estimates, the facility would only add around two extra vehicles per hour to Eastern Avenue’s traffic. Without it, the alternative arrangement would cost an extra £1.6m a year in fuel, staffing, and vehicle wear.
But the Labour group has fiercely criticised the proposal, distributing leaflets in nearby areas claiming the WTS would cause “foul odours from rotting waste, increased presence of seagulls and rodents, and constant traffic from bin lorries throughout the day”. They also say the council has failed to properly consult residents or provide a robust business case.
Cllr Townsend said the leaflet campaign had generated more than 500 letters of objection, adding:
“The current council depot for waste wagons has rubbish all over the place before they even change it to a Waste Transfer Station and move the depot nearer to residents’ homes. This will generate 21,000 plus tonnes of stinking rotting rubbish per year to be transported on Eastern Avenue, Casterton Avenue, Briercliffe Road. It will stink to high heaven on hot days and no doubt be attractive to rodents of the furry and feathered variety.”
Following the heated meeting, Cllr Townsend accused council leader Cllr Afrasiab Anwar of dodging scrutiny:
“It’s not the first time that when having no response to serious questions Cllr Anwar has resorted to personal insults instead of addressing genuine resident concerns with his decisions. I can live with that. I’ll support residents fighting for their community when he fails to.”
Cllr Anwar, however, dismissed Labour’s objections as politically motivated, saying:
“This is just scaremongering for political advantage. Cllr Townsend and the Labour group are being petty and pathetic. We take tough decisions head-on.”
The council insists the WTS will be subject to a full planning application and statutory consultation, with residents given the chance to have their say before any final decision is made.
