County politicians have passed controversial plans for an 80,000 tonnes-per-year waste recycling plant north of Radlett.

Hertfordshire councillors hope residents will be appeased by conditions attached to the development of a 2.2hectare site at the Harper Lane Quarry complex.

The environment cases sub-committee, meeting last week, passed plans for a complex which will recycle 30,000 tonnes of demolition waste and glass each year, plus 50,000 tonnes of rail ballast.

Many Radlett residents pointed to rules banning industrial development on Green Belt sites.

They claimed the development would blight north Radlett with noise, extra traffic, dust and air polution -- as well as looking unsightly.

Although passed, the planning application could still be called in and overturned by central Government.

County says the "strict contiditions" attached to the permision include limiting lorry movements, building noise-limiters, dust control measures and controlling the types of waste to be recycled.

In addition, the height and location of stockpiles will be controlled, as will the days and hours of operation, and landscaping works will be carried out.

The Labour chairman of county's environment cases sub-committee, Councillor Liz Rafferty, defended the decision.

She said: "In making this decision we have striven to maintain the difficult balance between the need to make provision for the recycling of construction materials -- a valuable and beneficial industry which we of course wish to encourage -- and the need to protect Green Belt against inappropriate development.

Committee vice chairman Geoff Churchard (Lib Dem) said he believed the benefits of the development, together with the conditions, made a special case for Green Belt development.

"It has the benefit of a dedicated rail link, a factor which would ease the transport of materials to and from the site and help meet our objectives of sustainable development for the county," he said.

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