Conservative councillors are standing up for Tattenhoe residents concerned about plans to fast-track a new Household Waste Recycling Centre on Snelshall Street.
Local councillors Cllr Shazna Muzammil and Cllr Manish Verma, alongside many residents, are calling for a thorough review of this decision due to its potential environmental and community impacts.
The proposed site is close to residential areas, raising concerns about increased noise pollution and traffic congestion with worries it could significantly compromise residents' quality of life.
Furthermore, a portion of the site falls within Flood Zone 3 and is designated as a Biodiversity Opportunity Area, making it unsuitable for a waste facility that could threaten local habitats and ecological systems.
Residents have expressed frustration over the lack of adequate consultation on this issue. The last engagement took place in 2020, prior to recent developments in Tattenhoe Park, leaving many new residents uninformed about decisions directly affecting them.
One resident commented: “It’s troubling that new voices are being excluded from this conversation. We deserve transparency and to have our concerns heard.”
Councillor Verma emphasised the need for careful consideration:
“While we recognise the necessity of effective waste management, placing a facility near homes threatens our residents’ quality of life.”
Councillors and residents have formally requested a comprehensive examination of this decision, ensuring community concerns are prioritised in alignment with Milton Keynes' commitment to sustainability and quality of life standards.
They claim Labour’s approach to planning in Milton Keynes has become dangerously relaxed, and that by sidestepping public objections and fast-tracking approvals, the Labour-led council is not only compromising environmental and community standards—it is setting a perilous precedent for future developments.
Councillor Muzammil continued:
“Our community takes pride in our green spaces, which are vital for recreation and social activities. Locating a waste site on flood-prone, ecologically sensitive land—adjacent to a food warehouse—is unacceptable. We demand transparency and a proper review process that meaningfully involves our community.”
“We urge the Council and Labour leadership to halt the approval of the Snelshall waste recycling site, reopen the consultation process, and explore alternative sites that better serve our community's strategic development needs and environmental standards.”
