Plans to raise the height of the chimney stack at Hills’ waste treatment centre have been approved, a move that Wiltshire Council and the Environment Agency say could help reduce odour emissions.
The decision by Wiltshire Council will allow Hills Waste Solutions to increase the stack height from 15 metres to 27 metres as part of an upgrade to the plant’s biofilter system. The Northacre Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) facility on Stephenson Road processes up to 90,000 tonnes of household waste each year and has faced long-standing complaints from residents over unpleasant smells, dubbed the ‘Westbury whiff.’
In approving the application, the council concluded that the taller chimney may improve air quality and odour dispersion, while also noting it would not significantly affect the visual appearance of the area.
Officers noted the stack’s design and materials would match the existing one, and that the surrounding industrial buildings, including the Arla dairy, meant the visual impact would be limited. “It is considered that the increased stack height would not have a significant impact to the visual amenities of the immediate area, or to the wider surrounding landscape,” the council report said.
However, the proposal received objections from local residents, with many fearing the taller chimney would be an eyesore and expressing frustration over the site’s ongoing odour issues. One resident wrote, “Welcome to Westbury – the home of the White Horse and the eyesore and stink from Hills Waste site.”
As part of the approval, Wiltshire Council has imposed several conditions, including a cap of 90,000 tonnes of waste per year at the facility and a requirement to follow the approved transport and travel plans to minimise traffic impacts.
