Plymouth scrap metal firm plans major move and promises quieter operation

Operational hours are proposed as 8am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 2pm on Saturdays.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): A well-established Plymouth scrap metal business is seeking planning permission to relocate and expand its operations to a larger premises at 178 Rendle Street.

The proposal would see the site, previously used as a warehouse and data centre, change use from Class B8 (storage and distribution) to the processing of non-ferrous metals—a Sui Generis classification—supporting local employment and recycling efforts.

According to the planning statement submitted on behalf of applicant Mr P Southard of Jay's Scrapyard and Waste Management Ltd, the development “is for a change of use only, no external works are proposed to the building.”

The facility would be used for receiving, processing, and preparing metal for recycling. On-site activities would include stripping plastic from cables, cutting and bailing metal, and dismantling boilers by hand—all to be carried out inside the building.

The existing business, which currently operates across the street at 181 Rendle Street, has been in operation for 15 years and is looking to relocate due to the need for a larger facility.

“This proposal will maintain the current workforce and allow an established local business to remain in an area it is associated with,” the planning statement notes.

Operational hours are proposed as 8am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 2pm on Saturdays.

The application states that all material processing would be confined to inside the building, aiming to mitigate any noise disturbance to nearby residents.

A noise impact assessment was submitted to support this claim, and the planning statement affirms that “the mechanical activities of this use all take place within the building during normal working hours” and that overall impacts on amenity would be “consistent with the level of amenity locally”.

The site includes an enclosed yard, which would facilitate off-road parking and loading—an improvement over the current premises, according to the applicant. “There will be improvements to the road network as the new site has areas to allow vehicles to unload off the highway,” the statement adds.

Located in a mixed-use area near the city centre, Rendle Street features a blend of commercial and residential uses. The statement argues that the change of use aligns with the existing character of the area and would represent a sustainable form of development: “This proposal is consistent with the mixed use environment that exists locally being an existing use that is relocated”.

The statement further argues that the proposal supports national priorities by promoting economic growth and recycling: “This proposal supports broader recycling objectives and acts as a local hub”.

Courtesy: www.msn.com